


A Place To Come Home

by Miko



Series: Full Circle [3]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bonding, Cunnilingus, Dom/sub Undertones, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Light Bondage, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Unresolved Emotional Tension, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-16
Updated: 2020-05-04
Packaged: 2021-02-23 12:44:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 41,272
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23178337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miko/pseuds/Miko
Summary: For an Alpha, there is nothing more powerful than the soothing presence of an omega. Some even find it addicting. Many years ago, Fareeha Amari knew the bliss of having an omega who cared for her, but the relationship was ripped away from her without warning. The last thing she ever expected was to encounter her Angel again in the midst of an emergency. Now that she has, she wants answers about what went wrong between them as teens.Angela Ziegler might be an omega, but she has plenty of strength of will. She swore she would never let an Alpha close again, after Fareeha unknowingly broke her trust. The last thing she wants is to get involved with her Fairy a second time, even though she's spent all these long years missing the younger woman. Especially since she suspects their relationship has the potential to become a bond, leaving her permanently in thrall to the Alpha's will.But Fareeha isn't the only Alpha interested in Angela, and not all Alphas care about whether an omega is consenting or being forced to obey. To protect her freedom, Angela must trust in Fareeha once more, and discover the true strength of being an omega.
Relationships: Fareeha "Pharah" Amari/Angela "Mercy" Ziegler
Series: Full Circle [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1666282
Comments: 73
Kudos: 335





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This fic can be read as a stand-alone and be complete in and of itself, but it will eventually be part of a larger series involving many complex relationships and dynamics. This is actually one of the middle stories chronologically, but the earlier ones are about different people and are giving me fits. Meanwhile this has been sitting complete and ready to go for the better part of a year, so I figured I might as well upload it, lol.

Flying was always a heart pounding experience for Fareeha. Usually it was from adrenaline when she was heading to battle; sometimes it was the sheer joy of soaring the skies when she was practicing aerial combat maneuvers. Today, it was fear that made her heart thump too hard against her ribs, made the breath come short in her chest. 

"Hang on, Tariq," she murmured yet again to the dying man in her arms. She put the force and scent of an Alpha behind the order, hoping it would reach her sergeant and make him obey, though he was a normal human. "We're almost there. Just hold on."

He couldn't answer her, mercifully unconscious. The blast that knocked him out cold had also ripped a chunk out of his armour, and made hamburger of his left arm and ribcage. It was a miracle that he'd lived at all, and the odds of him making it as far as the nearest hospital were slim to none, but she had to try. Tariq was her subordinate, her responsibility... and he was also her _family_ , as all of her team were.

She crested a hill, and the refugee camp came into view. Even from here she could see the tents were dingy and ragged, as were the people who wandered listlessly among them, displaced from their homes by the same Omnic insurgents that Helix had sent her to destroy. Fareeha had carried out her mission, but the price of Tariq's life felt too high.

The 'hospital' set up in one of the largest tents was probably little more than a field infirmary, if that. Refugees got the last and least of any country's resources, including medicine. But it was the nearest medical help for many kilometers, and she could only pray they would at least be able to stabilize him long enough for her to call in an evac transport.

As she flew in for a landing in the spot marked out for choppers and dropships, she heard incredulous shouts from below. People stared up at her, pointing and shading their eyes. Fareeha ignored them, all her attention on the laboured sound of Tariq's breaths. 

"Medic!" she shouted with the parade-ground volume of an officer, again putting her Alpha strength into the command. "I need a medic! Now!" Refugees crowded around, still gawking and pointing, but none of them wore the universal red cross symbol.

"What on earth is going on out here?" a hauntingly familiar voice demanded. 

Disbelieving, certain she must be hallucinating in her panic, Fareeha looked up from Tariq and locked gazes with eyes that had been her definition of the colour 'blue' since Fareeha was twelve years old. The face that framed it had finished maturing since Fareeha saw her last, but she still had skin of flawless cream and her golden hair held not a hint of silver. 

"Angel?" Fareeha breathed out, convinced this couldn't be real. Yet when she inhaled, she caught the sugary caramel scent that was ingrained in Fareeha's senses even after all these years. The scent of an omega, but not just any omega.

Hers.

 _It was the third time Fareeha had snuck into the research wing. She wasn't supposed to be in here; it was a restricted area. But the pretty blonde intern hadn't noticed Fareeha tucked into a corner behind a table. The girl, Angela, liked to hum to herself as she worked, and sometimes she even sang. Her voice was as beautiful as she was, but her_ scent _... it called to Fareeha like a siren song._

_Surely it would be okay for her to just sit here and soak up the older girl's presence. She wasn't causing any trouble. Angela would never know._

Angela stared back at her, no less wide-eyed and shocked. She sputtered. "Fairy? What... how..." 

Hearing her Angel use the answering nickname was salve to a wound on Fareeha's heart that had been bleeding for so long, the pain was an old friend. She'd spent more than a decade regretting how things had ended between her and the omega, thinking she would surely never see Angela again, especially after the fall of Overwatch. Yet here she was, every bit as beautiful and perfect as Fareeha remembered her.

_Angela bent over her microscope, scribbling furiously in a journal without even looking up. Fareeha had no idea how she could write neatly enough to read it later. When she spoke, it was sudden enough to make Fareeha jump._

_"Do you know, I think I may have a fairy in my lab?" Angela's tone was casual, so light Fareeha wasn't sure if the older girl was only talking to herself. She did that a lot, but usually it was muttering about 'blastema' and 'macrophages' and other words Fareeha had never heard before. Angela continued, still without looking up from her work. "Fairies are notoriously shy, but sometimes you can coax them out with an offering of milk and bread. I wonder, if I happened to have brought some milk and cookies back from lunch, would that be enough to make my fairy appear?"_

_Then she lifted her head at last, and winked straight at Fareeha's hiding spot._

Tariq stirred in her arms and groaned, jerking Fareeha out of her reverie. Shame swept her for having been distracted, even for so brief a moment. Angela's eyes focused on him as well, and she muttered a curse under her breath in German. Turning, Angela gestured for Fareeha to follow her back inside the hospital tent. "Bring him in, quickly. Please."

The last word was added to placate the Alpha instinct that demanded Fareeha refuse to be ordered around by an omega, but it didn't sound very sincere. With any other ABO, if the situation had been less dire, Fareeha might have growled and snapped in response. But even without the urgency of Tariq's injuries, Fareeha would never try to assert dominance over her Angel. She'd _promised_.

Inside the tent, furnishings were sparse and the equipment was outdated, but everything was scrupulously clean and organized. As nurses flocked towards them, Angela snatched up what looked like a staff weapon and aimed it at Tariq. Fareeha froze, too astonished by the impossibility of an omega displaying aggression to even think to dodge, and the head of the staff spread open into a star shape.

A beam of golden light flowed from the staff to Tariq. He moaned again, but it was a sound of relief this time, and Fareeha's eyes widened as she saw the edges of the wound start to knit together. Looking back up at Angela, she realized the staff wasn't any kind of weapon at all. "You did it," she exclaimed softly. "Your research on biotic regeneration, you really did it. This is amazing."

"Not quite." Angela's voice held a mixture of pride, frustration, and sadness. "I still can't regenerate anything _missing_ , only speed up the natural healing process. Put him on the bed there, please?"

The 'bed' was little more than a battered old Army cot, but it was clean and flat and unoccupied. Gently, Fareeha settled Tariq's overlarge body into the cot, wincing when the frame creaked a warning at the weight of man and armour. She watched in amazement as the injury continued to heal at an impossible pace, leaving healthy flesh behind. There wasn't even scarring. "It may not be exactly what you were trying for, but it's still a miracle. Why haven't I heard of this before? Why isn't it being used everywhere?"

Angela's eyes darkened, and her expression turned stormy. "I'm the only one who knows how it works, and all my research is locked away with the rest of Overwatch's highly classified material. In a way, I'm glad... there's far too much potential to reverse and weaponize the effect, and I don't trust anyone in power right now to resist the temptation to do exactly that."

Her gaze flicked to the Helix Security symbol on Fareeha's rocket suit, and her lips pressed together into a thin line. It was hardly the first time Fareeha encountered negative sentiment from people toward Helix, but it stung so much worse coming from Angela. Without thinking, Fareeha snapped back, "Because Overwatch was such a trustworthy and upstanding organization in the end?"

Angela met her gaze for the briefest instant, then lowered her eyes. It was an instinctive submission from omega to Alpha, but also acknowledgement of Fareeha's point. "No, they were not. Why do you think I'm so jaded about it? Could you step back, please? I need room to work."

Though instinct screamed at her to move _forward_ , not backward, Fareeha complied. Angela might be an omega, but she was also a doctor, the best in her field. Tariq couldn't possibly hope for anyone better to save his life, but not if Fareeha was looming and jogging Angela's arm. Or worse, upsetting the older woman with her mere Alpha presence.

Even at a distance, the caramel scent seemed to wrap around Fareeha, filling her up and making her crave more all at the same time. It was richer than she remembered, either because Angela had matured, or because Fareeha hadn't been old enough to fully manifest the last time she'd seen Angela. Either way, it was intoxicating, reaching deep into Fareeha's body and sparking heat within. Moisture dampened her pussy, and longing hit her so hard she was breathless with it.

Fareeha struggled to push the feelings and desire away. It was incredibly inappropriate for her to be lusting over Angela while Tariq lay there, injured and insensible, and Angela fought to save his life. Besides which, she knew very well Angela didn't _want_ Fareeha interested in her. She'd made that painfully clear, the last time they'd seen each other.

When sixteen-year-old Fareeha finally screwed up the courage to kiss the girl who'd been her crush for four years... and Angela responded by asking her to leave, and never answering any of Fareeha's emails or calls again.

Anger still boiled in her veins when she thought about it. Angela had been her best friend, the person who meant the most to her in all the world, even though they hardly ever got to see each other in person. To be rejected so completely ripped Fareeha’s heart to pieces, and she still didn't understand _why_. Angela had never expressed any prejudice against same-sex pairings. Couldn't she have turned Fareeha down gently, and continued with their friendship?

Angela's back stiffened, and she cast a wary look over her shoulder before edging farther away from Fareeha. "I said step back, please," she repeated. Her voice shook, ever so slightly; probably nobody but Fareeha would notice.

Fareeha cursed under her breath as she realized her anger must be spilling over into her scent. Of course the presence of an angry Alpha would trigger upset and panic in an omega. In turn, the hint of fear now souring the sugar of Angela's own scent made Fareeha want to growl, find the thing upsetting her omega and tear it apart.

"Sorry," Fareeha muttered, and backed out of the tent entirely. She wouldn't put Tariq's life at risk because her presence was upsetting to Angela. No matter how much she wanted to stay and just... be _near_ the omega.

Though being in Overwatch had been Fareeha's dream her entire life, her hope of being recruited had skyrocketed into absolute determination after things ended so badly between her and Angela. Despite the rejection, the need to be close had all but torn Fareeha apart. She'd thought if only she could prove herself and get in, she'd have a chance to find out what went wrong, fix whatever it was so they could at least still be friends, if not lovers. Then Overwatch had been shut down, and she'd thought she would surely never see her Angel again.

Now here she was, so close and yet so far away. Still just as wary, as distant, as if it was Fareeha who'd done something wrong. If that was the case, Fareeha didn't understand why Angela hadn't _told_ her what the problem was. It would have broken her heart to have her crush turned down, but not nearly as much as the complete and utter rejection had shredded her soul.

Once Tariq was safe, she and Angela needed to have a long conversation. Maybe then Fareeha would finally be able to purge the omega from her life, be able to move on and find someone else. Because while Fareeha hadn't been chaste her whole adult life, no one had ever come close to stealing a piece of her heart. How could they, when that heart had been in the possession of her Angel since she was twelve years old?

If only she could find out _why_ , perhaps Fareeha could at last build herself a life, instead of living like an empty shell.


	2. Chapter 2

Weariness was a given in Angela's line of work. Being a field doctor in a refugee camp like the one she currently ran meant endless waves of trying to do too much with far too little. Medicine was in short supply, but so were things as simple as clean bandages and potable water. Her Caduceus technology helped to close the gap, but couldn't work actual miracles. She still had to put in a lot of long, grueling hours, and the medical research that had once been her entire life's goal was nothing more than a distant pipe dream.

Usually, the emotional satisfaction of knowing she was saving people helped counterbalance the exhaustion. Today she felt drained, numb, as if she was in shock. Seeing Fareeha again was the last thing Angela expected, and it hit her much harder than she liked to admit. But Angela couldn't turn away someone in need, and Fareeha's friend certainly needed her.

Now she had to go outside and face the Alpha who'd haunted her sleep for more than ten years. Not nightmares, but heated dreams that left her twisted up in sweat-soaked sheets, trembling with arousal and panting with need. So many times, Angela had given in to temptation, closed her eyes and imagined she could smell Fareeha's sandalwood scent, the richness of it soaking into her pores as she fingered herself to orgasm.

She still remembered the shock and longing she'd felt, when Fareeha had come to visit her mother for summer vacation that last, fateful time. Fareeha had shot up a foot and developed breasts, a far cry from the gangly, scrawny girl she'd been before. 

_Angela stood rooted to the floor, her mouth dry and palms sweaty as she stared at the girl who was now unmistakably a young woman. Her little Fairy, who'd been her constant companion during the girl's summer visits and a long-time penpal the rest of the year, was suddenly all grown up. She could pass for twenty instead of a mere sixteen, and she was blossoming into a strong, beautiful woman._

_Her scent now held more than just hints of 'Alpha-to-be'. Sixteen was young to begin manifesting, but there was no doubting the smoky scent of incense that clung to Fareeha like an invisible cloud, marking her as Alpha to every ABO within ten feet. She was going to be incredibly strong._

_Usually, Angela avoided Alphas as if they had the plague. Being an omega, she was far more susceptible to their commanding influence than a beta, and even the best of them tended to get aggressive without meaning to. Angela fought and clawed her way to respect at the top of her field, through a great deal of prejudice against omegas. She valued her independence too much to give all that up to the first strong-willed person to come along and give her an order._

_But she couldn't be afraid of Fareeha. Her Fairy had promised to never command her, and had never yet broken that promise. Maybe, this once, it would be all right..._

Biting her lip, Angela shoved the memory away. She couldn't think of that now, and especially couldn't think of the betrayal that had come afterward. No matter how much she reminded herself that Fareeha had only been a child and hadn't truly understood what she was doing, Angela couldn't forgive the other woman for breaking her trust.

But now she had to go out there and talk to Fareeha once more. Steeling herself, Angela headed outside. As she'd expected, she found Fareeha pacing back and forth in the empty space in front of the hospital tent. The younger woman had always been too full of energy, restless and unable to sit still for long periods - unless Angela was close to calm her. That was why she'd started sneaking into Angela's lab in the first place, because she enjoyed the feeling of peace being near an omega brought, even at that age.

 _You don't know her anymore,_ Angela reminded herself sharply. _It's been half her life, she's probably changed a lot. Don't make assumptions._

And yet, as Angela stepped forward, before Fareeha consciously noticed her, she saw the Alpha's tension ease at the scent of an omega nearby. Fareeha had stripped off most of her armoured flight suit, revealing a tight black garment that left nothing to the imagination. Angela swallowed as a lick of desire curled through her, despite her best efforts to ignore Fareeha's toned body and generous breasts.

When Fareeha turned at the end of the field, she caught sight of Angela. For a moment, her expression was just as vulnerable as Angela felt, just as full of longing. The sense of _connection_ they'd always shared flared through Angela, and she shivered. Hoping to distract them both, Angela launched into the information she'd come out here to provide. 

"Your friend will be fine. He'll need to take it easy for a while, and I assume Helix has doctors and physical therapists on staff who can monitor his recovery." Whatever she might think of the powerful 'security force' that was in truth a corporate army, Angela had to admit she'd never heard that they treated their people badly.

"Of course." The rest of the tension drained out of Fareeha, and it was clear the man meant a great deal to her. As if flying dozens of kilometers with the man in her arms hadn't been indication enough. "All I'd dared to hope for was that the doctors here would be able to stabilize Tariq long enough to get him to better facilities. I never dreamed we'd find a miracle here. I can't thank you enough."

'Tariq' was a given name, Angela was fairly certain. Was he more to Fareeha than a subordinate and friend? Angela was surprised by the streak of jealousy that ran through her at the thought. With effort, she shoved the ugly feeling away. She had no claim on Fareeha, and didn't want one.

"He'll be weak and exhausted for some time," Angela warned, trying to keep her thoughts on a professional track. "The body has limited resources for healing, and the Caduceus technology forces it to use them all up at once, and more on top of that. He'll be extremely hungry, and should be on a protein-heavy diet. Lean meats, ideally, if that's compatible with his religious beliefs."

"I'll see to it personally," Fareeha nodded. "I can't thank you enough, Angel. I don't know what I'd do without him. I'm... not always good at the interpersonal part of being a leader." She grimaced. "He's the one who keeps the squad in good spirits... including me."

That seemed yet another indication that the two of them were involved, and another inappropriate streak of jealousy put an edge of sharpness into Angela's voice when she replied, "I'm not your Angel anymore."

Fareeha paled, then flushed, and looked for all the world like Angela had slapped her. "Of course. I'm sorry." She paused, looked as if she was debating with herself, then continued, "At least tell me _why_. Surely you owe me that much. Was what I did so horrible? A single kiss? You could have just said no, you didn't have to throw away four years of friendship and never speak to me again!" Her voice rose with each word until she was nearly shouting, hands fisted aggressively and anger scent pouring off her in waves.

Angela couldn't stop the instinctive croon that vibrated in her chest in response, an omega's frantic attempt to calm and pacify the Alpha who was upset with her. She hated the instinct, hated the fear that came with it and made her want to cringe away, beg forgiveness, promise never to do it again. As if it was _her_ fault, always her fault, no matter if it was the Alpha in the wrong. Moments like this were exactly why she avoided Alphas at almost any cost, but the effect was worse with Fareeha than usual.

"Why?" Angela repeated, struggling to keep her voice even. She couldn't meet Fareeha's gaze, couldn't glare the way she wanted to, but she let as much of her own anger show in her voice as the instinctive submission would allow her to. "I _did_ say no, Fareeha. And you proved you're exactly like every other Alpha out there when you refused to listen. When you took what you wanted, against my wishes."

Such a little thing, to destroy a friendship of four years. A teenage girl asking the woman she trusted to be her first kiss. Angela had refused not because she didn't want to, but because she was twenty and knew it would be inappropriate. She'd even thought, perhaps in a few years when the age difference wasn't quite so significant...

And then Fareeha insisted, her burgeoning Alpha dominance infusing the demand, and Angela was powerless to disobey.

It didn't matter that Angela had wanted the kiss too. It didn't matter that Fareeha hadn't intended to use her dominance, didn't even realize what she'd done. The promise was broken, and Angela could never truly trust her Fairy again.

"I would never force someone," Fareeha protested, anger blazing hotter still. "You said it wasn't appropriate, but when I explained why I wanted it to be you, _you_ made the first move!"

"Do you remember what you said to me, exactly?" Angela would never forget it, the moment burned into her memory for all eternity. She'd been given worse commands and forced to obey, but none had been a betrayal like her Fairy's. "You said, 'I want you to be my first. You're the only one I trust enough. Kiss me, Angel.' "

"And you did," Fareeha insisted. " _You_ closed the distance and immediately..." She broke off abruptly, as if realizing what she was saying. Angela flicked a glance up through her lashes, and saw an expression of stunned horror on the Alpha's face. "That was enough?" Fareeha whispered. "Saying I wanted you to kiss me, that was enough to make it an order?"

"It was enough when you put that much dominance into it," Angel replied, just as soft. "You were young, only starting to manifest. I knew you hadn't intended to do it, which is why I didn't report you." Overwatch had strict policies about ABO interactions, and if Angela had reported Fareeha for forcing her sexually, it would have destroyed any hope of the younger woman being recruited one day. Heartbroken though she'd been at the betrayal, Angela could never have shattered Fareeha's dream like that.

"But... if you knew it was an accident, why didn't you tell me?" Fareeha asked. There was enough force in the words to make it a demand, except for the forlorn misery vibrating beneath the anger. "Fuck, I'm _so sorry_ that I did that to you, but if I'd known, I'd never have done it again! Why did you have to end our entire friendship?"

"I was scared, Fareeha!" Angela exclaimed, anguished. It had hurt her just as much to end the best friendship she'd ever had, to know that her refusal to talk would devastate Fareeha, but she'd been so distraught she'd spent hours curled up in a ball in the lab after Fareeha left, shaking and crying. "You know how hard I fought for independence and control of my own life. You know how difficult it is for me, I told you so many stories. But even so, you can't possibly _understand_ what it's like for an omega. How we have to live every moment in fear, wary of betas and terrified of Alphas. I had thought you were safe, I trusted you never to break your promise. And then I realized that you couldn't help but do it, over and over again for years until you finished maturing and learned to control your instincts."

Fareeha seemed at a loss for words to answer that, mouth working as she struggled. The wretchedness of her expression brought tears to Angela's eyes in turn, and it was all she could do to hold them back. 

Finally Fareeha bowed her head, lowering her gaze to the ground in a sign of submission all but unheard of from an Alpha. It said volumes about the sincerity of her next words. "I'm so, so sorry, Angel. Angela. I wish I'd understood back then, but I can't blame you. What I did was terrible, and you're right, it probably would have happened again, best of intentions or not. Shit, you were only twenty, hardly more than a girl yourself. You seemed so much older and more mature to me at the time, but looking back on it as an adult I'm amazed you handled it as well as you did."

The acceptance of her actions, the absolution and forgiveness, was far more than Angela had ever expected to get. The tears spilled over, and she bit her lip to stop it from trembling. She'd never seen an Alpha humble themself like this. It allowed her to release some of her festering pain as well, to meet Fareeha in the middle. "I don't _blame_ you. I never did. I blamed myself for believing we could overcome the insurmountable, for placing expectations on you that you never could have fulfilled."

"No. Never blame yourself." Fareeha shook her head. "Maybe it wasn't anyone's fault, but it definitely wasn't yours. I wish... I wish things could have been different."

"So do I." With all her heart, every day since then, Angela wished that it had gone differently. Despite the age gap, she'd never had a friend as close as Fareeha, before or since. 

Silence hung between them, painful and awkward, neither of them knowing what to say next. Finally Angela cleared her throat, trying to push the painful memories aside. "We'll keep your friend safe and comfortable until Helix can send a medical ship to pick him up. It's unlikely he'll wake before tomorrow at the earliest, so there's no need for you to stay."

"I'm not leaving him." Fareeha paused, then took a breath and softened her tone from commanding to merely firm. "That is, if you don't mind. He's my responsibility, and my friend. I've already called for extraction, it shouldn't be long. I'll stay out of your way."

Angela could hardly refuse a quite reasonable request for a commander to stay with her injured subordinate. "Of course. The nurses will be happy to help you with anything you need. I should..."

"Wait," Fareeha exclaimed, stepping forward. Her hand came up, as if to catch Angela by the shoulder, before she apparently thought better of it and dropped it again. "Angela, I know I screwed up back then, and I understand why you don't trust me. But I've missed talking to you, so much. Even after all these years. Couldn't we at least be penpals again? I can't hurt you through email. Uh, can I?"

The old longing struck again, and Angela had to brace herself against the painful wave. "No." Seeing Fareeha's expression fall, Angela elaborated. "I mean no, you can't force me in any way through text messages. I..." Did she dare say yes? 

"Please? If nothing else, you're one of the people who knew my mother best." Fareeha's tone took on a bitter quality. "Maybe you can explain why she worked so hard to keep me out of Overwatch. It wasn't... because of what happened between us, was it?"

"I didn't ask her to block your application, if that's what you mean," Angela assured her. "Ana wanted a better life for you."

"So she kept saying." Fareeha snorted. "She never could explain what that 'better life' was supposed to look like, though. Or at least, could never suggest anything that appealed to me in the least."

"She should have known better than to try to tell an Alpha what to do," Angela agreed, sympathetic. "I'm so sorry for your loss, Fareeha. I hope you know Overwatch did _everything_ we could to find her." Angela had plenty of complaints about the behaviour of the organization and the people in it, those last years. But abandoning Ana was not one of them.

"I know," Fareeha assured her with a pained smile. "Jesse came to apologize to me in person for failing in the search. I'd never seen him so miserable. I didn't have it in me to offer him comfort at the time, I was hurting too badly, but I can't doubt his sincerity."

There were many, many reasons Jesse McCree had been miserable in that last, horrible year, but none of them were Angela's place to speak of. And certainly, losing his respected mentor had been high on the list. "He cared a great deal for Ana, and for you as well," Angela said, her own smile turning sad. She could still remember watching Jesse, hardly more than a boy himself, giving young Fareeha 'horseback' rides around the base, and telling tall tales about the days of the Wild West. 

Angela had listened to those stories just as raptly as Fareeha. Though Jesse was a beta and could have overpowered Angela if he wanted to, she'd never felt any threat from him. He was one of the people she knew she could always go to if touch hunger started to creep up on her, and he'd always made her feel welcome.

Guilty, she realized she'd hardly given Jesse a thought in ages. He'd disappeared after Overwatch was shut down, as had Genji. She wondered sometimes if the two of them were together, comforting each other. Hopefully. Angela was one of the few people who knew how much it had hurt Genji to walk away from Blackwatch, and from Jesse in particular.

Thinking of touch hunger made her glance at Fareeha again, and before she could think better of it, Angela blurted out, "Do you have anyone? Special, I mean. Or at least some other ABO you can go to? Of course you must, or you'd be hurting, but..."

"Nobody special," Fareeha cut into Angela's embarrassed babbling. "There are quite a few ABOs at the Helix base I work out of, and we've got an arrangement. Any given night, you can usually find two or three of us piled up in one of the lounges. There's two other Alphas among the herd, but we manage to work around each other. You?"

"I get a surprising amount of contact from my ABO patients," Angela said. "Keeping _them_ stable and happy is part of my job, and it's enough for me." Enough to keep her from craving touch, but not enough to keep her from wanting more. Deep inside, Angela longed for someone who was _hers_ , someone who would always be there for her to turn to when she needed comfort and affection. Someone who would put her first, care as much about her happiness as they did for their own.

 _Someone like that is standing right in front of you._

The insidious little whisper from her subconscious dug its way into her heart, burrowing through cracks in her emotional armour that had been created by Fareeha so long ago. Though she once again did her best to shove the thought away, Angela couldn't resist giving in to temptation. Just a little bit. "I suppose there's no reason we can't stay in touch. I would like to know how you've been." 

The way Fareeha's expression lit up made an answering warmth surge inside Angela. It turned the jaded and world-weary warrior before her back into the eager, excited young Alpha she'd once known. Fareeha smiled. "Thank you. I've missed you so much. I never found another friend who was anything like you."

"I'm sorry I wasn't there to support you, when Ana died." Impulsively Angela reached out, wanting to touch and offer comfort. She'd meant to brush Fareeha's shoulder or arm, but her instincts betrayed her and she found herself cupping the taller woman's cheek, instead.

Fareeha shivered at the contact, half closing her eyes and nuzzling her cheek into Angela's palm. She inhaled deeply, no doubt absorbing Angela's omega scent the way Angela was secretly wallowing in smoky sandalwood. When had they closed the distance between them? Which of them had stepped forward? There was hardly a breath of air between them now.

Angela wasn't touch starved, but the shock of contact she got from touching Fareeha was very like what she felt when she'd gone too long without. As if Fareeha's touch was what she truly craved, and she'd only been staving off the hunger pangs with the touch of others in the meantime. Fareeha's shiver indicated she felt the same thrill, the same need, and the heated musk of arousal threaded through her scent.

"Angel..." Fareeha's voice was low, husky, and full of need. Every iota of Angela's being yearned to respond in kind, to close the last gap and bury herself in the Alpha's embrace.

And that instinct terrified her beyond reason. With a gasp, Angela snatched her hand away and moved back, three quick steps until she fetched up against the side of the tent, unable to go any further. She was shaking in reaction and need, her hands trembling as she raised them to hide her face. "I... I can't," she choked out, willing herself to ignore the siren call of that rich Alpha scent. "Please. Just go."

"I'm sorry," Fareeha said again, and the wretched sorrow in her voice made Angela cry. Heavy footsteps headed into the tent, and finally Fareeha's scent began to fade from the air around her.

Yet somehow, it felt like the scent was ingrained into Angela's skin, embedded and intertwined with her own, and she feared she would never be rid of it entirely.


	3. Chapter 3

With a cry, Angela jerked awake, trembling on the brink of orgasm. The dream had such a tight grip on her that her every breath was filled with phantom sandalwood, her subconscious _convinced_ that if she turned around, she'd find Fareeha's warm, solid body pressed up against her.

Throbbing with the need for release, Angela slid her hand down under the sheets, shuddering as she skimmed over her breasts, and sought the warm wetness between her thighs. Her curls were slick with moisture, the flesh beneath so swollen with pleasure that it felt hot to the touch, and she gasped as she brushed her engorged clitoris. 

Remembering how thin the tent walls were, Angela turned her head to muffle her cries in the pillow as she stroked herself fast and hard. Though she tried with all her strength to keep her mind empty, Fareeha's image kept returning to taunt her. She'd grown into such a beautiful woman, so strong and fierce, fulfilling every bit of the promise in her Alpha scent. And that _scent_ , dear God, Angela could drown herself in it and die happy.

Would Fareeha's hands be callused from handling weapons and working her body all day? Angela imagined a touch rougher than her own on the exquisitely sensitive flesh, imagined Fareeha's larger fingers on her, pressing into her, working her body to a frenzy of need and want and...

Biting her lip until it bled to stop the scream building in her throat, Angela tumbled over the edge into orgasm. The waves of pleasure crashed through her again and again, and when it was over she slumped limp and boneless among the twisted sheets. Yet she felt empty, unfulfilled, incomplete. Her touch wasn't enough, and Angela felt a dismaying certainty that nobody else's touch would be enough to sate the hunger, either.

Nobody except her Fairy.

Groaning, she rolled over and buried her face in her hands. The scent of her own arousal overwhelmed her, slick juices still coating her fingers, and Angela jerked her hands away again with a furious blush. 

One meeting. Just a few short minutes together. One damning touch, one moment of intimacy. That was all it had taken for her to be sucked into Fareeha's orbit again, and the separation was every bit as painful as it had been immediately after the betrayal.

Angela had always suspected that she and Fairy were halfway to bonding back then, the connection prevented only because Fareeha hadn't fully manifested at the time. That was the _real_ reason Angela had been so terrified that she'd cut off any and all contact. 

If a bond was forming, Fareeha would have even more control over Angela than a normal Alpha with an omega. If she'd spoken to Fareeha even once, if the younger girl had said anything about not wanting to lose Angela, she was afraid she'd have been forced to obey that 'order', too. 

Bonding was supposed to be a wonderful, transformative experience. But Angela had seen how bonds could go bad, twisted into something awful despite the best intentions of both parties. As an omega, Angela was even more vulnerable to the effects of a bond than most submissive ABOs. If Fareeha had been a beta, maybe they could have made it work, but not with the power gap between an Alpha and an omega. Angela would surely be destroyed, her will and personality subsumed by Fareeha's.

Never. _Never_.

So it was just as well that she would likely never see the other woman again, no matter how much her heart squeezed at the thought. 

Further sleep was a lost cause. Angela untangled herself and rolled out of the cot, shuffling into the first set of clothing that came to hand. It was early, but not so unreasonably early that anyone would question her presence in the hospital or the lab. She might as well get some work done, if she was going to be awake. First, however, she needed coffee.

And a shower, she realized when she raised her hands to button her shirt, and caught another whiff of her own arousal. If she could smell it, so would any other ABOs among the staff and patients. Blushing furiously, Angela scooped up her bathroom kit and hurried out.

Water was a precious resource here, and they had sonic cleaning technology for washing up rather than showers. Angela understood the technology down to the molecular level, knew perfectly well that it resulted in a far more thorough cleaning than simply sluicing oneself with water and soap. She used a stronger version of the same tech to sterilize her equipment and instruments, after all. But still, she could never quite convince her subconscious that it got her as clean as a hard scrub. Hopefully, she was only imagining the faint scent of her musk still clinging to her fingers.

She certainly was imagining the sandalwood scent accompanying her own sugar.

At least work never failed to engross her. No patients required her immediate attention or expertise, so she was able to delve back into the Caduceus upgrade she'd been working on. She was certain if she could just tweak the parameters of the energy output, she might be able to do more with less resources required from the victim's own body.

As usual, Angela lost track of time while she worked. The nurses would often stop by around lunch and dinner to interrupt her reverie and make certain she cared for herself, so when someone cleared their throat behind her, she didn't bother to look up. "Yes, I know, I should eat. I'll go in just a minute, as soon as I'm done this calibration."

Usually that was the staffer's cue to protest that 'just a minute' would turn into 'sometime later today', morphing to 'eventually' and finally to 'never'. Instead, an imperious male voice with a strong Spanish accent said, "Dr. Angela Ziegler?"

Startled, both by the formality of the address and by hearing an unfamiliar voice in this restricted area, Angela pulled away from the nanoscope and looked up. A large, imposing man in a Helix uniform filled the entire doorway, shoulders so broad they brushed both sides. Though dark-haired, his skin was as pale as Angela’s, unusual to see in this Arab-dominated country. He wore a field camo uniform, not armour like Fareeha and her friend had sported, and the symbol stitched in bright gold thread on both of his shoulders suggested he was some kind of officer.

His expression wasn't unfriendly, exactly, but it certainly did nothing to inspire warmth or invite openness. He studied her as a scientist might examine a dissected lab specimen; like something that was interesting and potentially useful, not like one person to another. 

Worse, he had the scent of an Alpha about him, and the usual arrogance and sense of superiority that went with it. Angela could tell the exact moment when her scent reached him in turn. His brows drew together as he puzzled over the scent marker he'd probably never encountered before. His hazel eyes widened briefly in surprise, before his scent intensified as he exerted his dominance.

A chill ran down Angela's back. There was no way this could be a coincidence, after Fareeha's visit yesterday. It was rarely good when paramilitary officers invaded the lab of a civilian refugee hospital. Indeed, after her experiences with Overwatch, Angela did her best to avoid the military or anything resembling one.

For one insane moment, she contemplated whether she could get away with lying and claiming to be someone else. But it was a ridiculous notion, when he probably knew perfectly well who she was, and only requesting verbal confirmation. 

She couldn't look him in the eyes, not with that much dominance pouring off him, but she could at least keep her chin up and not bow to him. Fixing her gaze on the bridge of his nose, she replied, "This is a restricted area, you're not supposed to be back here."

"Perhaps you're unaware, doctor, but this refugee camp is sponsored by Helix Security International," he replied, a tone of smug satisfaction in his voice that instantly raised her hackles. "One of the provisions in the charter is that Helix has full oversight of the operations, should we choose to exercise the option."

Angela had been aware of Helix's funding, but had apparently missed that particular provision in the charter. Presumably not any soldier could wander about as they pleased, but if she was correct about his rank, he did indeed have the right to be back here. "I stand corrected." She put as much frost into her voice as she could, struggling at the same time not to let it shake. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"I understand you healed Tariq Safar, one of our agents." The look in his eyes wasn't one of gratitude. If Angela had to put a name to it, she'd call it greed. That he still hadn't given his name or even his rank was yet another attempt to dominate the conversation and cow her into submitting to him. "The report of his injuries seems entirely inconsistent with his physical condition when our doctors examined him. The phrase ‘miracle worker’ was applied to you - or rather, if I understand correctly, to the nanotech you invented."

Fareeha told Helix about the Caduceus tech? It felt like Angela had taken a pulse grenade to the chest. All the air rushed out of her, and her heart skipped a beat. The acid burn of betrayal ran through her, all the more painful because it was the second time she'd experienced this. 

Last time, Fareeha had broken her promise to protect Angela because of unthinking instinct, an uncontrolled action that hadn't been intentional. This... this was a deliberate choice. Fareeha _knew_ Angela wanted to keep her tech out of the hands of people who would use it as a weapon, but she'd told her bosses anyway.

Now the greed in the officer's eyes made painful sense. He wanted the Caduceus, and she doubted very much that he intended it for humanitarian purposes. Angela straightened her shoulders. "My tech is proprietary, and not for sale. The details of its development are sealed in classified Overwatch files, and I'm under contractual obligation not to disclose them." A truth that sometimes rubbed her raw, preventing her research from having the intended effect of saving lives all over the world. At the moment it was a blessing, however. 

She saw his gaze slide past her, no doubt spotting the staff in its charging station. "Surely we can come to some sort of agreement, doctor. Your hospital is badly in need of further funding and supplies. I know how hard it is to loosen the purse strings of the penny-pinchers in the budget committee, but they'll certainly authorize a reasonable sum for the purchase of such unique tech."

"The answer is no." Angela crossed her arms over her chest, hugging herself for comfort. It was a defensive gesture that gave away how vulnerable she felt, but her instincts were louder than her reason at the moment. Every one of those instincts screamed at her that this man was a predator, and very dangerous to her. "Don't bother trying to take it by force. The staff is biometrically locked to me, and I assure you, your research division will have a great deal of difficulty undoing that without destroying the core."

Winston had helped her develop the failsafe. He'd understood her concerns, knowing all too well how science could sometimes turn to bite the hand that created it. Morrison told her that she was being paranoid, but gave the okay. At the time, Angela wondered if he was right. Now, she was grateful that she'd insisted.

The Alpha's eyes narrowed, but he didn't seem nearly as displeased by her declaration as she'd hoped. If anything, he looked _happy_. "Well, then. I suppose I'll just have to take you with it."

"Excuse me?" Angela hoped very much that she'd heard him wrong, or that the telephone translation of them both speaking a language that wasn't their native tongue created a misunderstanding. From the satisfied gleam in his eyes, however, she very much doubted it.

"Helix Security has the right to commandeer any and all equipment stored or used at any facility owned or operated by them," he informed her.

"This isn't hospital equipment," Angela snapped back. She edged backwards, resting her hand on the staff. It couldn't help her, but she felt better with it in her hand. "It's a personal possession that I brought with me. And you certainly do not have the right to requisition _me_. Or does Helix Security condone human slavery these days?"

"No, but we do believe in enforcing the law." His smirk widened. "Dr. Angela Ziegler, you are hereby charged with smuggling a weapon onto restricted grounds, breaking code 5.93 section..."

"A weapon!" Angela stared at him, wondering if he'd lost his mind. "I've done no such thing. And I'll warn you, everything in this room is recorded for research purposes, so if you attempt to plant one and claim it was mine, you'll have a difficult time proving it."

"Can that..." he pointed at the staff, which she'd now swung around to hold across her body, "...cause harm to a human being?"

"I suppose if I bashed someone over the head with it like a quarterstaff, but so can a broom. Will you arrest the janitor next?" Angela glared at him, and tightened her grip to combat the way her palms were sweating. 

"Can the _primary_ function of your technology be used to harm a human being, doctor. It's a yes or no question."

He knew. Impossibly, he knew. Only a handful of people in the world had ever been aware of the darker side to her biotic nanotech. Jack Morrison, who was dead. Ana Amari, also dead. Genji Shimada, who would hardly be talking to someone like this buffoon. Winston, whom the world didn't even recognize as a person.

And Fareeha Amari, because Angela had told the Alpha yesterday. 

Angela froze at the thought, stomach churning with acid. Surely not. This went far, far beyond the level of betrayal she could believe of her Fairy.

But was Fareeha really her Fairy, anymore? It had been more than ten years since they'd known each other. Angela had no idea what kind of woman Fareeha might have grown into. Just because the teenager had believed in honour and justice and protecting the weak, it didn't follow that the adult couldn't be jaded and disillusioned. Especially after what had happened with her mother - both Ana's disappearance, and the way Ana had blocked her daughter from joining Overwatch at every turn.

Nor was Helix known for their bright and shining reputation, not among those who understood how to look past the public facade and propaganda. Or perhaps Fareeha even saw it as loyalty to her people, over loyalty to a woman who had once been her friend in the past.

Whatever Fareeha's reason for betraying her, the damage was done. Angela pushed the words through a throat gone closed with fear and pain. " _Technically_ , yes, it could potentially be used to cause damage instead of repairing it, though it would be a slow effect, not like aiming a weapon and causing an injury. I could do more harm, more quickly, by stabbing you with a scalpel. Are those to be listed as weapons, too?"

"Scalpels are inventoried, and their use is tracked," he replied. "They are also authorized hospital equipment. As you yourself said, that staff is your personal possession. If you're determined to argue the semantics, I could decide to take you in on charges of human experimentation instead, since that device was certainly not cleared for use in this facility. However, that is a far more serious crime, with appropriately harsher punishment. I suggest you don't fight me on this any further, Dr. Ziegler."

His body language didn't match his last words; he leaned forward, stance aggressive, and his scent carried a wave of eager anticipation. He _wanted_ her to keep fighting, wanted the excuse to have to subdue her, to drag her kicking and screaming from her own lab. He wanted to prove his superiority, his dominance over her, in the most visceral way he could. 

It should have been enough to cow her, bend her to his will. Angela avoided Alphas precisely because it was _so_ easily for them to subdue her, even if that wasn't their intention. Her omega instincts screamed at her to lower her eyes, bow her head, and submit... but it was an urgent impulse, not an outright compulsion. She could withstand it, with enough effort, and that made no sense at all.

If she did push the issue, if she fought him and excited his Alpha instincts further, he might well lose control of how _much_ force he used to prove that dominance. Angela had never been beaten or raped by an Alpha, but she'd known far too many betas who had been. She wouldn't risk it now.

Though it shredded her pride and her principles, she bowed her head to acknowledge his dominance, lowering her eyes all the way to the ground. She set the staff gently on the counter before her, then backed up out of reach of it. "Then I submit myself to your authority with _full cooperation_ ," she stressed for the lab’s security recording. She wanted to make it as difficult as possible for him to claim later that she'd resisted arrest.

The bastard did nothing to hide his frankly disappointed expression at her capitulation. For a moment she thought he might go ahead and grab at her anyway, but thankfully some shred of common sense appeared to still have sway in his mind. "Wise choice, doctor. If you remain cooperative, I'm sure this will be a profitable partnership for both you and Helix Security International. We have the resources to be able to provide you with the kind of research facilities you were accustomed to in Overwatch, far better than this piddly refugee hospital."

"Overwatch was shut down for a good reason," Angela replied, not even attempting to conceal the bitterness in her voice. "I would never work for it again, and I will never willingly work for you."

"We'll see." Moving forward, he picked the staff up off the counter, then grabbed her by the upper arm. His grip was too tight, crushing her biceps painfully against the humerus. Angela pressed her lips together, refusing to make a sound of pain and give him the satisfaction.

Besides, the pain in her arm was nothing compared to the screaming in her soul. Just when she'd dared to believe that perhaps she could finally regain some part of the best friendship she'd ever had, her Fairy had betrayed her.

Again.

And this time, Angela would never, _ever_ forgive her.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter content warning for mention of interrogation breakdown techniques

Fareeha's world was one of schedules and routines, from the moment she woke until the moment she went to sleep. She liked the predictability, found it calming and soothing. Even in her off hours, she tried to keep things regulated as much as possible. The result was that sometimes she developed little 'rituals', as her mother used to call them. 

Every morning, first thing after opening her eyes, Fareeha reached for her tablet to see if any messages had come in. Every hour on the hour, or as close to it as she could manage, she'd check again just in case she'd missed the alert of an incoming text. And every night, the last thing she'd do before she turned off the light and closed her eyes was to check one final time.

Usually an empty mailbox left her relieved, because it meant no emergencies or issues requiring her attention had come in. In the last week, however, the ritual had taken on a painful emotional twist, because each empty inbox meant her Angel hadn't kept her promise to write. Fareeha sent several messages to the address Angela gave her, but none got a response.

Had Angela changed her mind about wanting to know Fareeha again? Why? Surely she wasn't _still_ holding that one horrible teenage mistake against Fareeha. If so, why had Angela agreed to write her at all? Granted, the older woman did have a habit of losing herself thoroughly in her work, whether it was helping patients or working on her research, but surely Angela had to check her incoming messages at _some_ point. 

Twice, Fareeha altered her flight patrol route to swing by the refugee camp, just to make sure some disaster hadn't befallen the hospital. There was no sign of any problems, just the usual hubbub of people going in and out. She didn't land, not wanting to pressure Angela. Or worse, accidentally force the omega into complying with Fareeha's desire for closer contact.

And oh, did she _desire_. Fareeha was far from chaste, had dallied with both men and women over the years, usually with betas she sought out to ease her touch hunger. None of them ever made her burn with need the way thinking about her Angel did. 

It had been like this back then, too; Fareeha was utterly consumed by her crush on Angela in her teenage years. She'd thought that she'd gotten over it, moved past the near-obsession, but apparently she'd only set it aside for a while. Now it was back in full force.

Perhaps that was why Angela was avoiding her. Perhaps Fareeha said something in her first messages that gave her away, and Angela feared Fareeha's eagerness meant she would lose control of herself again. Whatever the reason, it broke Fareeha's heart. Unfortunately, there was nothing she could do about it without forcing herself on the omega, and that she would never do. Not even in so platonic a way as continuing to send text messages forever.

When she got the notification that her team had been rotated to security duty at the local headquarters, Fareeha snarled. She needed to be out in the field, preferably blowing the heads off of enemies, to deal with the aggression and upset caused by Angela's rejection. Headquarters detail meant a lot of boring hours standing around watching empty hallways, or sitting in her cramped office doing the endless paperwork required of an officer. At least it meant she'd get caught up on the backlog of paperwork she'd been ignoring for the past week.

Her team was highly overqualified for mere security work, but the Helix shrinks insisted it was good for all soldiers to have a non-combat duty rotation on a regular basis. The company paid lip service to it, but the reality was that if something urgent and dangerous came up, Fareeha's unit would be yanked from security and thrown right back out into the field, so she decided to get all the paperwork out of the way first, just in case. She assigned her troops to various security checkpoints around the building, then headed to her office.

Except, lost in thought and not paying attention to her path, Fareeha somehow wandered off course. When she stepped off the elevator, she looked up to find herself in the basement of all places. 

Frowning, she scanned the hallway, trying to figure out why she'd made such a mistake. The only time she ever came down here was to interrogate a prisoner, and there was nobody currently in custody connected to one of her investigations.

When she turned back to the elevator, however, a sense of foreboding swept through her. It was so deeply rooted in her instincts that it was nearly subconscious; all Fareeha really knew was that she _did not want_ to go back through the lift doors. Something pulled at her, demanding that she stay, that she do... something.

Usually Fareeha was very good at overcoming her instincts. Her father had taught her, and she'd learned from other Alphas as well, including her 'uncle' Gabriel before things turned bad for him. However, she'd also learned to listen to those instincts, and on more than one occasion it saved her life. There should be no threat to her in this place, but she couldn't shake the sensation that something was _wrong_.

Frustrated and annoyed, she strode down the hallway, glancing into each room as she passed. The doors were all closed, but glass panes showed the empty interrogation rooms within. Not torture chambers; Helix wasn't some medieval inquisition, no matter what some people believed. These rooms were the same as could be found in most police stations, simple metal tables with a ring for handcuffs, and a one-way mirror to an observation area on the other side.

A flash of pale colour visible through one window caught Fareeha's attention, and she came to an abrupt halt. One of the rooms was occupied, a human seemingly asleep on the table within, head pillowed on their arms. A white labcoat hid their body and their face was turned away, making it difficult to determine whether it was a man or a woman. They had blonde hair so light it almost looked white, spilling in messy waves over their shoulders. 

It was that rare pale shade that tugged at Fareeha, the same colour as her Angel's. And that labcoat was very similar to the one Angela had worn the other day... but plenty of people wore labcoats. Not many had such blond hair in this part of the world, but it wasn't unheard of. There was no reason Angela would be at Helix headquarters, let alone be shoved into an interrogation room in the basement.

And yet the urgent, unyielding tug on Fareeha's heart had led her here, to this place. 

The biometric door lock opened readily to Fareeha's palmprint. The person within jumped at the sound of the beep, and jerked upright. By the time Fareeha had the door open, the prisoner sat up fully. Vibrant blue eyes met Fareeha's, and there was no further doubt of the woman's identity.

Angela's cheekbones pushed at her skin, as if she'd lost weight in the last week. Her eyes were sunken and dull, with the sort of hopeless look that Fareeha usually saw in refugees and victims of violence. Her lips were dry and chapped, dehydrated to the point that the skin cracked and bled repeatedly. She looked like she hadn't bathed in days; in fact, she looked like she'd been in this room the whole week since Fareeha had seen her last.

Before Fareeha could overcome the shock and find her words again, Angela's eyes narrowed in an expression painfully close to hatred. She shifted her gaze slightly off Fareeha's, unable to lock eyes with an Alpha, but her chin stayed proudly up. When she spoke, her voice was hoarse with pain, dehydration, or both. "So they finally sent you. I wondered what was taking so long. I assure you that you'll have no better luck than your superiors convincing me to cooperate."

Despite her brave, defiant words, the current of fear that lay beneath was all too obvious. Angela was terrified... of _Fareeha_. As if she expected Fareeha to step forward and strike her, or perhaps even far, far worse. The pain of that thought finally loosened Fareeha's tongue. "Angel... why... what are you _doing_ here?"

"Oh, is that how it's going to be? Playing the good cop, trying to get my cooperation by seeming sympathetic?" Angela pushed to her feet, and the rattle of chains drew Fareeha's eyes to the cuffs binding Angela's hands, looped through the ring bolt on the table. Her wrists were red and raw where the hard edge of the metal cuffs chafed her pale, delicate skin, too tight for too long.

The sight of Angela's blood made Fareeha snarl, her every instinct surging with the need to _protect_. She stepped forward, intending to get the cuffs off, but froze when Angela cringed away. _Cringed_ , as if she thought _Fareeha_ would hurt her. 

Drawing a deep breath to try to calm herself turned out to be a mistake, because it made her painfully aware of the acrid terror permeating Angela's normally sugar-sweet scent. Despite the scent cue, however, the omega's expression was one of outrage and frustration. She might not be able to control the instinct that made her fear Fareeha, but she clearly resented it.

Deliberately, Fareeha took a step back and raised her hands, empty palms towards Angela. "I'm not going to hurt you," she said, keeping her tone as level and gentle as she could. "I would _never_ hurt you, Angel. Not intentionally. I swear to you, I have no idea why you're here. I don't even know why _I'm_ here. I just... had a gut feeling."

"I'm here because you told your superiors about the Caduceus technology," Angela replied, tossing her head to flip a tangled lock of hair out of her eyes. "About the 'miracles' I'm capable of. What did you _think_ would happen, Fareeha? Of course they came after me. But they can't steal the tech because it's biometrically locked to me, and I refuse to cooperate."

"But I didn't... Tariq." Fareeha sighed, silently cursing the rookie. "He must have been telling tales over drinks about his miraculous recovery. I downplayed his injuries in my report, and I did say you've been known to work miracles in the past, but I never said _anything_ about tech that you used to do it."

Uncertainty crept into Angela's expression, and vulnerability followed. Her lower lip trembled, before she bit it to stop the giveaway. The bite made a crack in her chapped lips split deeper, a tiny trickle of blood creeping down her chin. 

Fareeha growled in response, and clenched her fists. "I'm going to find whoever did this to you, and rip them to pieces," she declared, low and harsh. "But first, I'm going to get those fucking cuffs off you. If you'll let me get close enough?"

There was a long pause, and Fareeha's heart beat so hard she was surprised it didn't echo in the room. If Angela said no, Fareeha would _have_ to back off, because she wouldn't force herself on the omega. Not even for Angela's own good. But it would kill a piece of Fareeha to have to leave the other woman in pain and suffering.

Finally Angela nodded, the tiniest gesture. Breathing out - only then realizing she'd been holding her breath - Fareeha moved toward her. She kept her motions slow and easy, as if approaching a skittish animal, but tried not to be patronizing about it.

Thankfully her rank was high enough that the cuffs recognized her thumbprint, and fell away from around Angela's wrists. Fareeha caught the other woman's hands in hers, examining the red knuckles and dirt beneath the nails. Angela was never anything less than impeccably groomed, and the dirt said more than words could about what she'd been through.

"Have you been here the whole week since I saw you last?" Fareeha asked. Angela nodded a second time, and Fareeha struggled against another growl. "Well, that explains why you haven't answered any of my texts. I thought you'd changed your mind. I'm taking you out of here, Angel. I promise, I won't let anyone else touch or hurt you. Will you trust me that much?"

Another pause, but this time Angela nodded more firmly. She seemed to have lost her voice entirely, and tears shimmered in her blue eyes, but the terror slowly faded. She even curled her fingers around Fareeha's hand, clinging tight as if afraid she'd fall if she lost contact. Fareeha gripped back, more than happy to let Angela hold her hand.

"I've got you," Fareeha promised, and tugged the other woman toward the door. "Let's go home, Angel."


	5. Chapter 5

Angela felt dazed, unable to believe this was happening. She'd spent the week livid at Fareeha, thinking the woman had betrayed her. In her more generous moments, she assumed the betrayal had been thoughtless rather than deliberate, but those generous moments had been few and far between.

Then Fareeha appeared as if by magic, and she seemed more like a fury than a fairy. Her anger was palpable, radiating off her and saturating her scent. Angela didn't think the other woman was a good enough actor to fake her outrage, but the anger wasn't what convinced Angela that Fareeha was telling the truth.

No, it was the note of genuine _hurt_ buried in Fareeha's voice, when she'd said that she'd believed Angela's lack of response was deliberate. There was no doubt that she'd meant the offhand comment, and there was no reason she'd have expected Angela to respond if Fareeha was in any way involved in Angela's capture.

But the truly bewildering thing was Angela's reaction to Fareeha's promise to protect her. The moment the Alpha made the vow, all of Angela's fear simply melted away. She knew, to the depths of her soul, that Fareeha would die before she let any further harm come to Angela. All of the anger and aggression still pouring off of Fareeha should have had Angela's instincts wound into knots, but instead she felt... 

There was no word to describe how she felt. 'Comforted' was the closest she could come, but it was so much more than that. It was relief and reassurance, the feeling of belonging and the sensation of coming home. It was the most amazing thing Angela had ever experienced, and it made her independent spirit want to scream in despair.

Somehow, the brief contact between her and Fareeha in the refugee camp had deepened their half-formed bond. Perhaps it was the fact that they'd each forgiven the other's mistakes, and agreed to renew some level of their friendship. Or perhaps it had been that one, simple touch, the moment of connection that Angela was certain had very nearly drawn them into a kiss with no intention from either of them.

There was no other explanation for this feeling, or for the impossible way Angela had been resisting the emotional and psychological pressure the still-unnamed Helix Alpha put on her this past week. Though she was grateful for the unexpected ability to fight back and refuse orders from anyone else, the level of control it now meant Fareeha could exert upon her terrified Angela.

That was the trade-off, with a bond. The beta or omega got some level of protection from other Alphas, but became far more susceptible to the one who held their leash.

Angela wobbled on her feet with exhaustion, but refused to let Fareeha support her. Surprisingly, the Alpha didn't order her to accept the help, didn't even show frustration with their crawling pace down the hall. Instead, she hovered close, her dark eyes wide with anxiety.

"Did they hurt you?" Fareeha asked, her voice low and rough. The dangerous note in it was very similar to the way Ana Amari used to talk about her targets, when Angela was patching her up after a mission. "Did they _touch_ you?"

Somehow Angela found her voice, though it had been stuck in her throat since Fareeha had proclaimed her vow of protection. "No. Not like you're thinking. They want me compliant, but in full working condition." Her voice turned bitter. "Rape is a time-tested method of breaking women, but it carries a risk of breaking their mind as well as their spirit. He was still trying to convince me that it would be in my best interests to work for Helix 'willingly'."

"I heard those air quotes," Fareeha said, flashing a brief, grim smile. "I'm going to find out every single person who was involved in bringing you here, and make them all drastically regret their life choices."

Ahead, the elevator dinged, an incongruously cheerful sound in the oppressive grey hallway. The door slid open to reveal none other than the Alpha Helix officer who had accosted her at the field hospital and dragged her here. Angela gasped and shrank back, hiding behind Fareeha's taller form. Without meaning to, her hands crept up to fist in the back of the other woman's shirt. Her voice shook as she whispered, "Looks like you'll get your chance sooner than you thought."

He might not have physically harmed her in a serious way, but the pressure of his will against hers had been agonizing enough. Days of too little food and water, interrupted sleep, and constant pressure for her to submit had taken their toll, and the mere sight of him made her feel sick. Even the comfort of Fareeha's promise to protect her couldn't combat Angela’s fear of this man who'd tried so hard to break her, who'd refused to give his name because the only thing he wanted her to call him was 'Master'.

"Moreno." Fareeha's voice was little more than a growl, the sound of a thoroughly pissed off Alpha. Her scent was full of aggression and anger, and she squared off in front of Angela as if to hide any glimpse of the omega. "I should have known you'd be involved in this. Kidnapping a civilian doctor? That's low, even for you."

"Arresting, not kidnapping," Moreno corrected her. He sounded as smug as always, but Angela thought she heard a note of worry beneath the slime. "You're interfering with an ongoing investigation, Lieutenant. Return the prisoner to me at once."

"Arrested? On what charge?" Fareeha planted her hands on her hips, staring him down.

Having a name to put to the Alpha helped take away some of Angela's terror of him. Strange, how being able to label someone made them less frightening. She peeked around Fareeha's shoulder, and wasn't surprised to see Moreno drop his gaze for an instant, unable to match Fareeha's dominance. He jerked his eyes up again almost immediately, but to have looked away first was a huge sign of weakness when it came to an Alpha battle.

Angela answered, not even trying to hide her bitter resentment. "He declared the Caduceus Staff a weapon that I had smuggled into a Helix controlled operation, because it can theoretically be used to harm someone."

"What? That's ridiculous." Fareeha took a step forward. Moreno didn't step back, but he swayed in place as if fighting the urge to do so. "It's medical equipment, you idiot. She saved a Helix agent's life, and you repay her by arresting her for it?"

"If the good doctor would simply consent to explain how her technology works to our scientists, I'm sure they will clear it for medical use," Moreno replied. This was one of the arguments he'd been using on her, trying to convince Angela to cooperate. It didn't sound any more sincere when he said it to Fareeha. "Dr. Ziegler herself said it would self destruct if opened by anyone but her. That sounds like a weapon to me. Since we can't examine it without potentially harming the researcher doing the study, we can't rule it to be acceptable equipment for use in a civilian facility."

"I've told you repeatedly, the so called 'self destruct' only erases the programming and renders the nanites inert," Angela said, exasperated that he kept using the same excuse. "It can not and will not harm anyone unless _deliberately_ used against its intended function. I won't show you how it works because then you'll simply steal the technology!"

"We have only your word that it's harmless," Moreno retorted. "The device was never cleared for human testing, and yet you're experimenting on your helpless patients. Helix cannot allow..."

"So you'll keep changing the definition of the crime until she gives you what you want," Fareeha broke into the circular argument, a low growl underscoring her voice. "I'm guessing she hasn't been given access to a lawyer, either. You're treating her like a terrorist prisoner being prepped for interrogation, Moreno! It ends here and now. I'm taking her with me. Either move out of the way, or I'll move you myself."

"Lieutenant Amari, are you threatening a superior officer?" The oily bastard sounded pleased. Clearly, there was a lot of history between these two. 

"Threatening?" Snarling, Fareeha advanced on the man, fists clenched, aggression pouring off her. "I'll show you threatening..."

"Fareeha!" Angela protested, clutching at the other woman's waist and leaning back, trying to physically hold her in place. It was hopeless, Fareeha was more than strong enough to drag Angela's weight along without even noticing, in her infuriated state. Desperate, Angela put a soft, soothing croon into her voice, the harmonic sound normal humans couldn't make. "Fairy, please. If you attack him, if you give him any excuse, he'll arrest _you_. Then who will save me?"

The threat to her own freedom did nothing to calm Fareeha, but the reminder that she'd be leaving Angela without a champion seemed to reach her. She froze in place, two steps away from the smirking Moreno, fists still clenched. Her scent remained acidic with rage, but she didn't close the distance any further. 

When she spoke, her voice was cold and precise. "What I am threatening is a report to the base commander of your abuse of a civilian medical officer, not to mention your utter failure to follow the protocols for civilian prisoners. So unless you want to find yourself dragged into a court martial, get. Out. Of. My. Way."

There was no question which of the two Alphas was more dominant; Moreno stepped out of the way almost as fast as a beta would have done, faced with Fareeha's furious will. The fact that he'd backed down clearly sat badly with him, lip curled in a snarl and eyes snapping with fury, but he said nothing as Fareeha continued on into the elevator. 

Angela stayed close to her, inching to the side of the hall to stay as far from Moreno as possible. Fareeha's angry scent was paradoxically calming to Angela because she knew it meant the Alpha was upset on her behalf, but Moreno's fury rubbed against her senses like sandpaper on a raw nerve.

Besides, he was a disgusting excuse for a human being and she wanted nothing to do with him.

As the elevator doors closed, Angela sagged against the wall, shivering. "I think you've just made yourself an enemy."

Fareeha snorted. "He wasn't exactly an ally to start with. Thankfully, the commander here is an old friend of my mother's. I don't normally trade on that, and I certainly don't ask for special treatment, but if it comes down to my word against Moreno's, we both know who the commander will believe." She frowned, drumming her fingers against one thigh. "Unfortunately, until I get the paperwork sorted out about your 'arrest', I don't think you can just leave. I suppose technically you've been released to my recognizance for the moment."

"So I can't return to work?" Angela clenched her fists, frustrated and upset. "I have patients who need me, Fareeha."

Fareeha gave her a sad smile. "You called me Fairy, earlier," she pointed out, her tone wistful. "I know the situation isn't ideal, and believe me, I remember how much you devote yourself to your work. I promise I'll do everything in my power to get you free and clear as soon as possible."

Angela ignored the comment about her old nickname for the younger woman. It had slipped out in the heat of the moment, as she'd been frantic to reach Fareeha past the Alpha anger. She didn't intend to make it a habit again. "And where am I to stay in the meantime?" There was only one answer and they both knew it, but she wanted to hear Fareeha acknowledge out loud the impossible situation Angela was in.

"With me," Fareeha said, sighing. "I'm sorry, I don't see any way around it. I'll stay out of your way as much as I can, and I _swear_ I won't try to dominate you."

"On purpose, no," Angela murmured. "You can't help just _being_ Alpha." She gave her one-time friend a crooked smile. "And a powerful one, at that. I always knew you would be. Even long before you manifested, I could sense it." 

And she damn well should have known better than to befriend an Alpha at all, let alone one so powerful. But her Fairy had been just a little girl, only twelve, and years away from manifesting. Angela had never expected the friendship to last longer than the summer she'd spent interning at Overwatch, so she'd thought she was safe.

Now, she wondered if the bond had begun to form even back then. She'd never felt as close to anyone as she did to Fareeha, despite the five year gap between them that should have been all but insurmountable at that age.

At least Fareeha didn't appear to have realized the truth of what was happening between them. Angela wasn't sure how the Alpha could have _missed_ it, but she certainly wasn't going to point it out. God be kind, Fareeha would get this nightmare sorted out within a day or two, and Angela would be free to go. She'd never have to see Fareeha in person again, if she chose not to. Any threat of losing herself in the Alpha's dominance would be gone.

She just had to stay strong until then.


	6. Chapter 6

It wasn't until she stepped up to unlock the door of her apartment that Fareeha realized she had two problems. One, she'd taken Angela and left Helix without so much as letting anyone know where she was going, which meant she'd never actually reported in for work today. That was a huge black mark on what had been a spotless record, and might well come back to bite her the next time she was up for promotion. Fareeha would call in the moment Angela was settled, and _probably_ wouldn't face disciplinary action if she cited it as a family emergency, but it still grated on her.

And problem number two, she was _bringing Angela into her apartment_. Her tiny single bedroom apartment, that had barely enough room for one person to live in, let alone two. Especially not when one was a skittish omega who didn't trust the self-control of the Alpha she'd be sharing space with. 

"Sorry, it's really small," Fareeha apologized as she opened the door and stepped aside to let Angela in first. "I don't spend much time here. At least it's clean." Her mother had kept their house with military precision and cleanliness, and Fareeha took the habit with her into her own military service. Now she was extra glad for it, because bringing Angela back to a home full of dirty dishes or underwear lying around would have been mortifying.

Angela took three steps inside, then froze, as if she'd seen something dangerous. She closed her eyes and breathed shallowly, shuddering. Concerned, Fareeha followed her in and shut the door, then rested her hand on Angela's shoulder. "Angel? You okay?"

"Yes. Of course, I'm fine." Angela didn't _sound_ fine; she sounded like she was about to burst into tears. But when she opened her eyes and looked up at Fareeha, there was no trace of wetness. Her smile was distinctly forced, however. "I don't think I've ever been in the home of an Alpha, that's all."

"Oh. The scent," Fareeha realized, feeling foolish. "I can open the windows, but it's so hot outside, and the sand will blow in." There were disadvantages to living so close to a desert. 

"Fresh air would only help a little, anyway." Angela shrugged, and moved further into the room, looking around. "This is your territory, and your scent permeates everything in here. It's still far, far better than that dank basement room, and I'd much rather your scent than his."

The mere thought of Gilberto Moreno's foul scent on Angela was enough to throw Fareeha into a rage, and she trembled on the brink of sudden fury. Shocked by her own reaction, she struggled to contain and control herself before she frightened Angela.

Except it was the omega who stepped closer, catching Fareeha's hands in hers and stroking them with her fingers, crooning in the back of her throat all the while. Her caramel scent turned sweeter still, until it should have been cloying and overpowering and yet was somehow the most amazing thing Fareeha had ever smelled.

"Breathe, Fareeha," Angela murmured. "I'm right here, I'm safe and you'll protect me from any further harm."

"Of course I will," Fareeha replied, uncertain why Angela was saying that as if to reassure _her_. Surely it was the omega who required comforting about the trauma she'd just been through. And yet, there was a surge of guilt beneath Fareeha's anger, a sort of horror that she hadn't been able to stop Angela from coming to harm, that was eating away at the bonds of her self-control.

It was the protective instinct any good Alpha possessed, but ramped up way beyond ten, stronger than Fareeha had ever experienced it before. The only thing that helped was breathing deeply of Angela's sugary scent, listening to the soothing croon. When they'd been close in the past, Fareeha had been too young to appreciate _how_ much more powerful the effect of an omega was. 

"Sorry," Fareeha apologized, when she had full control of herself again. Even so, her voice came out husky, and a hot flush of shame rode her cheeks. "I haven't lost control like that since I was a teenager." As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she could have kicked herself. One of those bursts of teenage aggression that had cost her Angela's friendship in the first place. The last thing Fareeha wanted to do was bring that up.

Angela's smile was crooked, but she didn't back away or let go of Fareeha's hands. "It's all right. This time you're angry on my behalf, and I can hardly claim I'm not grateful you were driven to rescue me. I hope you don't get into too much trouble. But they still have the Caduceus staff in their labs."

"I'll do what I can, but Moreno has probably taken this chance to ensure I can't just walk in and demand to have it returned." Fareeha held no illusions that this confrontation between them was over. She had a very strong suspicion that it was about more than Angela's technological medical advances; if that was all that mattered, Moreno would have confiscated the staff and ignored the warning about it self-destructing.

Moreno hadn't been trying to break Angela because he wanted her to serve Helix as a doctor. He'd been trying to break her so _he_ could have an omega under his control. Having Fareeha win the dominance battle and steal that omega away would only enflame the enmity that already existed between the two of them. 

Angela made a soft sound of protest, and Fareeha jerked out of her thoughts to realize that she'd tightened her grip far too much on the omega's delicate fingers. Cursing, she let go and backed away. "This is ridiculous, I don't know what's wrong with me."

Sighing, Angela rubbed her fingers together, like she was trying to get feeling back into them. She wasn't meeting Fareeha's eyes. Not in the usual way that betas did, where they were looking at Fareeha but not quite meeting her gaze; Angela turned away entirely, like she didn't want Fareeha to see her expression. "It's probably because I'm stressed and upset, and that's causing a reaction in you. It will be fine once I calm. Could I possibly have a bath?"

Now she felt guilty for not considering Angela's physical discomfort as well as the emotional pain. It was clear Moreno hadn't been allowing regular access to any kind of amenities, and Fareeha knew how much of a stickler Angela was for cleanliness. Being unable to wash for a week was probably as distressing to her as the sleep deprivation they'd likely also put her through.

"You'll have to settle for a shower, sorry." Fareeha gestured toward the door to her minuscule bathroom. "We can go to a public bathhouse later if you want to soak. You go ahead and wash up, I'll dig up something clean you can wear."

The thought of Angela in _her_ clothing, covered in Fareeha's scent, was enticing. _Far_ too enticing. Deliberately turning her back on Angela, despite what some ABOs would see as a submissive move, she moved to the bedroom. Not looking at the omega was the only way Fareeha could hang onto her shredded self-control. 

Thankfully she heard the bathroom door close a moment later, and water start to run in the shower. Trying very hard not to picture Angela naked under the spray, Fareeha rummaged through her meager wardrobe. She had dress uniforms, and field uniforms, and the in-between version she thought of as her 'desk' uniforms; she had workout clothes that all had the Helix logo stamped on them somewhere; she had a couple of nice dresses for the rare times she went out to socialize.

Clothing with the Helix symbol on it was right out, even though the sweats and t-shirts would probably have been the simplest thing to fit to Angela. Given the situation, Fareeha very much doubted Angela wanted anything to do with Helix at the moment, let alone to walk around with their symbol on her like a brand. The dresses were too large, tailored for Fareeha's broad shoulders, and would slide right off Angela's slender frame.

In desperation, Fareeha finally turned to her 'intimates' drawer. She had a few nightgowns shoved in the very back that she never wore; she usually slept nude, or in boxers and a t-shirt if it got cold. The nighties were pretty, frothy, feminine things meant to look sexy and appealing, given to her by various ex-lovers. They'd have the benefit of not being permeated with Fareeha's scent so deeply since she never wore them, but it also sent rather the wrong message to Angela.

No help for it. She chose the least revealing one, then knocked on the bathroom door and called, "I'm leaving something just outside the door for you. It's, ah, not really appropriate, but it's the best I've got at the moment."

There was a long pause, so long Fareeha began to grow concerned, before Angela's muffled voice finally answered. "Thank you. I'll be out shortly."

"Take as much time as you need," Fareeha assured her. "There's plenty of water." 

Satisfied that Angela was okay for the moment, Fareeha turned away and picked up her datapad. She needed to contact Helix and let them know about her 'personal emergency' so she didn't end up fired for not coming to work; she needed to order some simple clothes for immediate delivery; she needed to contact Angela's hospital and let them know why their boss hadn't come to work for a week, and arrange for the omega's things to be delivered.

While she was at it, Fareeha should probably do whatever she could to make Angela feel less like she was still a prisoner, albeit in a much nicer cage. Looking around at the tiny space, she frowned. She also needed to figure out what they were going to do for sleeping arrangements, because while the bed was technically big enough to hold them both, they'd be in close contact and that wasn't fair to Angela.

It also wasn't going to do anything to help Fareeha's self control, especially if Angela was in that provocative nightie.

Pausing again to breathe deeply, Fareeha struggled with her libido. Really, this was getting ridiculous. Yes, her childhood crush on Angela was apparently back in full force, but she wasn't a hormonal teenager anymore and she should be better than this, damn it.

Time to get to work. Hopefully that would take her mind off it a little. If she wanted to keep Angela's friendship after this, Fareeha had to do _everything_ right over the next few days. No matter how hard it was.

But oh, the temptation and sexual frustration might just be enough to kill her in the process.

Taking a day's leave from work was as simple as shooting an email to the right person. She expected a scolding reply to let them know ahead of time if it happened again, but there would be no immediate repercussions beyond the mark on her record. Contacting Angela's hospital was a bit trickier; the head nurse she spoke to was understandably skeptical of Fareeha's claim that Angela was fine, and in the end Fareeha could only promise that Angela would contact him soon.

That brought up another thought, and Fareeha quickly entered Angela as an authorized user for the house data system. The access would allow her to use the communications and the internet, which would hopefully ease the feeling of still being a captive in a more pleasant cage. Glad that she'd thought of it, Fareeha proceeded to an online clothing store she used for the few items she needed that weren't Helix issue. She dithered for a while, then picked a simple, soft-looking lounge suit that would stretch enough to be comfortable if it wasn't a perfect fit. Angela would look beautiful in the vibrant blue that matched her eyes, and the material would drape over her in a subtly attractive way.

Her finger hovered over the 'buy' button when it occurred to Fareeha that there was every possibility Angela wouldn't like the outfit. Or worse, would be offended that Fareeha was trying to make her choices for her. She still remembered the omega complaining about that back in their days as friends; Angela had hated having lunch with Gabriel Reyes because the Alpha inevitably ordered for her, as if she couldn't decide for herself.

Fareeha always thought Gabriel was very strange and rude for continuing to do so after Angela made it clear she didn't like the behaviour. At the time Angela told her that Gabriel couldn't help himself, it was instinct. Now, Fareeha finally understood _why_ it had been so hard for Gabriel. 

It wasn't that she believed Angela couldn’t make her own decisions. It wasn't even that Fareeha wanted to make the decisions for her. It was that she wanted so badly to _care_ for the omega, to shower her with things to make her comfortable, to ensure the other woman was _happy_. Fareeha wanted to indulge Angela in every way she could, pamper her and take away every possible source of stress - including the need to make decisions.

Which was ridiculous and offensive, but no less true for being those things. Fareeha had experienced this urge before with the betas she spent time with at Helix, but never anywhere near this ferocity of _need_. Whether it was because Angela was an omega, or just because she was Angela, Fareeha wasn't sure. It didn't really matter, because if she let one hint of this slip through, she'd lose Angela for good.

Deliberately, she moved her hand off the 'buy' button and closed the browser window. The site was bookmarked, easy to find if Angela went looking for local retailers. Fareeha would respect the other woman's independence and right to choose, even if it rubbed her instincts raw. ABOs were closer to their more primal side than normal humans, more driven by their instincts, but they _were_ still humans, not animals. They could control themselves if they chose to.

Blowing out a hard breath, Fareeha buried her face in her hands. This was going to be a very long couple of days, and yet she already wished they could last forever, if it meant having her Angel with her.


	7. Chapter 7

Curled up on the floor of the shower, Angela hid her face against her knees and let the water pour over her, cleansing her of the stink and filth of the last hellish week. Unfortunately, nothing could wash her mind of the memories. She couldn't seem to stop shaking, feeling cold to the center of her being despite the warmth of the water.

It could have been _so_ much worse, and she knew that. The stories she'd heard from some of the refugees were truly horrific, and made the past week look like a trip to the spa. But it was the most stressful, terrifying experience she'd ever personally been through. Somehow she'd kept her composure throughout, but now that she was safe, reaction set in. 

That Alpha, Moreno, had been _most_ displeased that she was able to resist him in any way. He'd clearly been looking forward to having an omega to cater to his every whim, but Angela's stubborn will combined with the protection offered by her half-formed bond to Fareeha allowed her to refuse. At least there was an upside to the impossible situation she was now caught in, and the protection would even last for some time after she finally left, but eventually separation from Fareeha would break the nascent bond.

She hoped. It would if she were a beta, but she'd never heard of an omega breaking a bond with an Alpha. Of course, bonds were rare, omegas were even more rare, and the few omega bonds she _had_ heard of were with betas rather than Alphas. Probably because any sane omega would do the same thing Angela did, and avoid Alphas at all costs for the sake of that continued sanity.

How to break the bond, if such a thing was even possible, was a problem for later. For now, she had to get through the coming days, crammed into a tiny apartment with her bonded Alpha, without letting that Alpha realize they _were_ bonding, and without losing herself to Fareeha's dominance in the process.

On second thought, the shaking might be as much fear of what was coming, as reaction to what had already happened.

Finally Angela had to drag herself out of the shower, or risk turning into a prune. She wrapped herself in one of Fareeha's large, fluffy towels, stole the other woman's toothbrush to clean her teeth, and borrowed a comb to work the knots out of her hair before drying it. All the while, she kept repeating 'You can do this' in her head, trying to keep her courage up. 

When she cracked the door open, she saw no sign of Fareeha. A dismayingly small pile of silk sat by the door, and when she picked it up, it unfolded into a nightgown with see-through lace panels down the sides. At least Fareeha was tall enough that the nightie would come down to Angela's knees, but that was the only good thing she could say about it. 

'Inappropriate' hardly began to cover it. From another Alpha, Angela might have thought it a deliberate power play, or even a lustful move. But Fareeha sounded so very sheepish and embarrassed when she'd apologized through the door, Angela thought it might legitimately be the only thing available. Sighing, she retreated into the bathroom to slip it on.

It should have been large enough to hang on her like a sack, but her bust was more generous than Fareeha's and the bias-cut fabric clung to her curves. Though the coral shade wasn't as flattering to Angela's skin tones as it would be to Fareeha, it did help alleviate the paleness caused by a week away from the sun. The image in the mirror was thinner than Angela liked, but not to the point of being gaunt. If she’d had her hair up and makeup on, she would be a knock-out.

Too bad that wasn't at all the effect she was going for - wayward fantasies and dreams aside.

Sadly, she couldn't hide in the bathroom all day, so finally Angela took a deep breath and forced herself to return to the main room. "You didn't strike me as the silk teddy type," she said, hoping the teasing would offset some of the embarrassment.

Fareeha sat at a computer workstation in one corner. She looked up at Angela's comment, chuckling. "I'm really not, but it..." Her words trailed off as she got a good look at Angela, eyes wide and a hot flush crossing her cheeks. She looked stunned, and if Angela had been trying to seduce her, the reaction would have been highly gratifying.

Actually, it was quite gratifying regardless. Having such a deep effect on the Alpha was its own kind of power, and vanity had Angela subtly posing herself to best effect despite having no intention to do so. The heat in Fareeha's gaze scorched her, and it felt like a physical touch over Angela's skin. The scent of Alpha arousal reached her a moment later, and Angela had to fight the urge to squirm as her pussy grew damp in response.

Ah, god, why did Fareeha have to be an Alpha? She was everything Angela found attractive in a woman; brilliant, charismatic, and gorgeous. Perhaps it was her omega nature, but Angela did _like_ having a powerful partner who would cosset, protect, and yes, dominate her both physically and emotionally. She loved the release of pressure, being able to set aside the weight of her responsibilities and let someone else make the decisions for a while. There was no doubt that sex with Fareeha would be the most satisfying and fulfilling experience of Angela's life.

If only she wouldn't lose herself entirely in the process.

Their frozen tableaux broke when Fareeha wrenched her gaze away and deliberately turned back to the screen. Angela noticed the other woman's fists clench on her thighs, but Fareeha's voice was remarkably steady when she spoke. "I've set up an access code for you on my home system. You won't be able to use the uplink to Helix, but everything else should be available to you. I contacted your hospital and let them know you'd been called away on an emergency. They're forwarding your case files so you can do whatever work you can from here, and you can use the video link to do consults with them if you like."

"Oh! Thank you so much." Angela hadn't expected that at all. She'd thought she would be essentially trapped here, bored and helpless, until Fareeha was able to sort out this nightmare for her. The princess in the tower, useless and languishing in wait of her knight in shining armour. Being able to work, even in a limited fashion, made her feel less like she'd been forced to become the powerless omega stereotype that she'd fought against all her life.

That Fareeha had considered all of that, acknowledged that Angela had a life of her own that was undergoing a complete upheaval, meant more to Angela than words could ever say. 

"It's the least I can do," Fareeha said, standing and gesturing for Angela to take her place. "A Helix agent is trying to destroy your life; if I don't want you to hate and resent all of us, I need to prove we're not all like that. The hospital is packing up your things but they won't get here until tomorrow. You can order anything you like from the local stores to be delivered in the meantime, though. I was going to get you something, but then I thought it would be better to let you choose what you want. My credit info is stored on the computer."

Angela chuckled. "My, my, that's very trusting of you. For all you know, my tastes run to silk and diamonds." The joke was a cover, meant to hide the choked note in her voice. Fareeha had given so much thought to Angela's needs, including her need to make her own choice of clothing. How many other Alphas would have simply made the purchase, expecting Angela to be grateful they were taking care of her?

Fareeha grinned at the teasing, though a flush on her cheeks said she hadn't entirely gotten over the effect of Angela in a teddy. "I doubt you've changed _that_ much since I saw you last, Angel. Besides, I can afford it. I live like this because I can't be bothered to do much in the way of chores and I don't spend time here, not because Helix doesn't pay me enough to live better. My savings are substantial."

Angela had to laugh. "Well, I can't look down on you for that - the best part of living in tents in a refugee camp is not being expected to do chores. Though I can't say I'll mind the nicer quarters." Especially the soft-looking bed, but she bit back that comment just in time. It would probably be unfair of her to tease Fareeha further by talking about Angela being in bed.

Fareeha laughed in turn. "First time anyone has considered my apartment the nicer option." Standing, she moved toward the door, skirting carefully by Angela at a distance as if afraid to get too close. "I'll leave you to work, and I need to do the same. I'll pick up something for dinner on the way back?"

"Oh, I think I can take care of dinner," Angela replied. Her dislike of chores came from exhaustion at the long work hours she put in, not because she didn't enjoy domestic activities. Cooking was one of the things she missed most, and it wasn't as if she'd be exhausting herself here. "I can order what I need with that credit you've so generously given me access to."

She would use her own credit for the clothing, though. Angela appreciated what Fareeha was trying to do, but she couldn't let the Alpha 'take care of her' more than was absolutely necessary. Frankly it was a miracle Fareeha had stopped to consider that Angela might want to make her own choices. Even with that consideration, this was Fareeha's instincts at work, exacerbated by the bond, prompting her to try to shelter and protect Angela in every way. Allowing it would only make the rest of her dominance urges worse.

And she'd effectively be allowing Fareeha to claim her, if she wore nothing but clothes Fareeha had paid for. Bad enough she was in the teddy.

Though Angela _still_ couldn't deny a certain feminine satisfaction at the heat in Fareeha's eyes every time she looked at Angela.

"Go on," Angela prompted, before she let her own instincts get the best of her, too. "I don't want to get you in trouble. Any _more_ trouble," she corrected wryly, thinking of the problems she'd likely caused Fareeha already.

"For you, Angel, I'll handle any amount of trouble." As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Fareeha blushed, apparently realizing how sappy they sounded. Instead of taking it back, though, she simply nodded and headed for the door, pausing to toss one last wave and smile at Angela before she left.

As soon as she was alone in the room, Angela dug into the linen closet for a spare blanket, which she wrapped around her shoulders. She couldn't do a video call to the hospital dressed in nothing but a teddy. They were used to seeing refugees huddling into thin blankets, and it would actually help reinforce the fact that Angela had been through a traumatic experience, but the lingerie would give the impression that she was playing hooky to have sex.

Then she sat down at the computer and booted the comms program Fareeha had so kindly given her access to. When the 'waiting' screen cleared to reveal the head nurse, the man's face lit up at the sight of Angela. "Dr. Ziegler! We've been so worried. Are you all right?"

"As well as can be, Sayeed," she reassured the man who had become a personal friend over her months working at this camp. "Much better now that an old friend with some pull at Helix has stepped in to improve the situation, but I'm afraid I won't be back for a while yet. I may not be able to do any surgeries or examinations remotely, but you can at least send me the patient files to review. I'm so sorry for the extra burden of work this is going to put on the rest of you."

"Don't worry about it at all, doctor." Sayeed shook his head. "I'm just glad to hear you're safe, and everyone else will feel the same. You work too hard anyway. You haven't taken a single day off since you got here."

"Well, I'm not exactly taking a vacation." Angela couldn't help but feel like the words were a tiny bit of a lie. Granted the past week had been hellish, but now she was comfortable and safe and had no pressing concerns. It did feel like she was slacking off.

There was only one way to fix that. "Send me the files, and while they're transferring, we'll go over the current patient status."

"Of course, doctor." Sayeed typed something, then grabbed a datapad and pulled up the first patient. 

They went over everyone currently in the medical ward, and when that was finished, Angela signed off and buried herself in the patient files. Unfortunately, there was no friendly nurse here to check in on her and make sure she remembered to take a break and eat. By the time her growling stomach pulled her out of her reverie, Angela was astonished to discover the room had grown dark as the sun set.

Dismayed, she realized she'd never ordered any clothing. She'd meant to do it when she took a break for lunch, but all the stores would be closed by now. Certainly nothing could be delivered earlier than tomorrow. Nor had she so much as taken stock of Fareeha's kitchen, let alone bought ingredients to be delivered. She'd promised to make dinner, and Fareeha would presumably be arriving home at any moment, hungry and expecting food waiting for her.

Annoyed with herself, Angela hurried into the kitchen and started digging through the pantry. As Fareeha said, there wasn't much in the way of staples, let alone fresh ingredients. In the end she grabbed rice, canned fava beans, tomato paste, and some _very_ stale spices to throw together a bastardized version of koshari. It was an Egyptian food she'd been introduced to, one of her favourites, though her efforts were going to be a far cry from the real thing. At least it would be hot, and filling.

Halfway through, Angela realized with a shock that this burst of frantic domesticity - and most importantly, the dread at the thought of _not_ making Fareeha happy with her efforts - was in fact her own instinctive reaction to their bond. She was trying to take care of Fareeha, just as the other woman had been trying to take care of her by offering to buy her clothes and food.

Angela stood there with her spoon in the rice, staring at the cooking grains as she chastised herself. She _must not_ allow herself to follow these instincts, because every act of care would only cement the bond further. If she wanted to have any chance of walking away from this, she had to keep her distance.

Sighing, she returned to stirring. She'd promised to make dinner, and she couldn't go back on that now. It would be cutting off her nose to spite her face, for one thing; she was ungodly hungry. But from this moment forward, she was going to have to make the effort to fight her instincts as much as possible.


	8. Chapter 8

The moment Fareeha walked through the door, air redolent with rich spices wafted by, making her mouth water. They were familiar scents, the sort of combination she’d catch from stall vendors on the streets of Cairo, and dredged up fond memories of her childhood.

The sweetness of caramel overlaid the spices, the soft and welcoming scent of an omega. Fareeha was wound tight with frustrated aggression after a day spent arguing with her commanders about Angela’s situation, but now she felt herself relaxing, tension seeping away like magic.

Her apartment was a place of convenience; somewhere to sleep, sometimes relax, nothing more. Tonight was the first time it ever felt like coming ‘home’. The difference it made to have someone waiting for her, something to look forward to besides silent walls and an empty bed... she couldn't even put it into words.

Knowing who she had to thank for that sensation made something in her chest squeeze so tight, it was hard to breathe. It felt so damn _right_ to know Angela was here, to share this space and time with Fareeha. Like she’d found something that had been missing her entire life, and finally felt _whole_.

There was an awful part of Fareeha that was seriously tempted to stop fighting so hard for Angela’s freedom, keep the omega here with her as long as possible. The idea horrified her, and she would certainly never act on it, but she couldn’t deny the temptation existed.

And then there was the extreme temptation to find the omega and wrap herself around the other woman, soaking up that soothing presence and leaving her own scent behind in return. Oh gods, the thought of Angela with Fareeha’s scent on her…

With great effort, she shook those thoughts aside too. At which point she realized she’d been standing in the doorway for at least a full minute, like an idiot. Clearing her throat, she stepped inside and closed the door behind her, grateful Angela hadn’t seen her acting like a fool.

“I’m home,” she called, since Angela must not have heard the door opening. Fareeha moved into the apartment, around the wall that separated the living room from the tiny kitchen. “That smells amazing, Angel. You didn’t have to go to so much… trouble…”

The words trailed off as she rounded the corner and got a good look at Angela. The other woman still wore the incredibly provocative teddy, her full breasts pressed tight against the silk, pale skin visible through the lace panels. The heat of the stove put roses of soft pink on her cheeks that matched the enticing colour of her full lips.

There was no way in hell Fareeha could stop herself from reacting to that sight. Her panties went damp as her body responded, pussy clenching with need and so, so ready for Angela’s touch.

Even as she stared, speechless, she saw the reaction as the scent of her desire reached Angela, and the omega responded as well. Her nipples went tight, tenting the silk so firmly that her breasts surely had to be aching. Her scent changed too, sweetness tempered by the musk of need.

Angela crossed her arms over her breasts, flustered, trying to hide the betraying peaks. “I’m sorry,” she blurted out, eyes lowered in submission. “I got wrapped up in work and forgot to buy something to wear until my things arrive, and the clothes I came in are ruined. It’s too hot in the kitchen to wrap up in a blanket or...”

“ _Angela_. Stop. Talking.” Fareeha’s voice came out hoarse, and she couldn’t prevent the edge of Alpha command behind the order. The more Angela’s plush lips moved, the harder it was to think about anything other than kissing her senseless.

Angela’s teeth clicked, she stopped speaking so fast, unable to disobey. Her apologetic expression turned angry, blue eyes snapping with fire that had nothing to do with the heat of desire… though that was unmistakably still present, too.

“Go…” Choking down the rest of the order that wanted to come out, Fareeha drew in a breath and forced herself to rephrase. If she couldn’t stop the Alpha command scent wrapping the words, she could at least not make it a direct order. “Please, go and find a blanket, or a towel, or _anything_.”

Lips pressed tight together, Angela looked pointedly at the only exit to the room, which Fareeha currently occupied. There was no space for the omega to get by without pressing up against Fareeha, which would be a very bad idea.

“Right. Sorry,” Fareeha apologized, retreating back to the other side of the living room. “Uh, you can talk.”

“So very kind of you,” Angela replied, voice falsely polite, dripping with poisoned honey. “Thank you for the permission.”

Fareeha kept her eyes fixed on the wall, not letting herself watch as Angela snatched up the blanket to cover herself. Clearing her throat, Fareeha managed to sound less rough this time when she spoke. “My self control is a hell of a lot better than it was as a teenager, but it is _not_ infinite. Trust me, that was the least offensive of the many, many things I wanted to order you to do.”

“You never struck me as the type to victim blame.” Now fully covered by the blanket wrapped around her, Angela stepped back into Fareeha’s field of view. Her hands were planted on her hips, and the flush in her cheeks was from anger this time, not temperature or desire.

“I would _never_ ,” Fareeha snapped, offended. “I’m not saying it would be your fault somehow if I lost control. I’m telling you what I need you to do to help me keep it, when all my willpower has already been exhausted by the effort not to tear that asshole Moreno's throat out. I’ve spent the whole day fighting for your freedom, and I am…”

Her voice broke, and she closed her eyes. Maybe if she wasn’t looking at Angela, it would help her stay steady. “I am apparently much closer to my limits than I realized,” she finished in an overly careful tone. “Maybe I should go find a hotel. I’m not sure it’s a good idea for me to be close to you right now.”

Angela’s scent intensified, and to Fareeha’s shock, soft arms wound around her waist and a warm body pressed up against her front. Dismayed, Fareeha’s eyes flew open and her hands came up to grip Angela’s shoulders, but she couldn’t find the strength to push the omega away. “What the hell are you _doing_?” Fareeha demanded, trembling on the verge of snapping.

“I’m sorry.” Any trace of anger drained from Angela’s voice, and she rested her cheek against Fareeha’s shoulder. “You’re right, I should have realized you’d be on edge after everything that’s happened today. Shhhh, just relax. Breathe.”

“I can’t…” Except she could, Fareeha discovered. Despite the frustration still humming in her blood from both aggression and desire, her muscles slowly released their tension. The powerful calming influence of an omega whispered through her, easing the sting of need and helping her step back from the edge.

Groaning, she wrapped her arms around Angela in turn and buried her face in the omega’s hair, breathing deeply. Though she still wanted Angela with an intensity that left her aching, Fareeha was no longer on the brink of acting on that need regardless of Angela’s wishes. She’d forgotten just how much stronger an omega’s soothing could be than a beta’s.

“Hell.” Fareeha was disgusted with herself. “I should have stopped by the barracks and asked one of the betas for help before I came home. I knew I was too wound up from all the arguing with that bastard, but I didn’t realize how bad it really was. All I could think about was that it was already so late, and I didn’t want to keep you wondering where I was.”

“This once, I’ll forgive you.” Angela rubbed her cheek against Fareeha’s chest, like she was trying to scent mark the way a cat would. “It’s not fair for me to demand that you ignore and act against your instincts completely. You've gone above and beyond for me today. I can at least be courteous and aware of your needs in return."

The confirmation that Angela wasn't going to stay mad at her for the order helped to relax Fareeha even more than the omega's scent was doing. She hugged Angela tight, happy simply to have the contact. "Thank you, Angel."

"Now, come on," Angela coaxed, stepping back and catching Fareeha's hand in hers, tugging. "Dinner's getting cold. It's not much, but it will certainly be better when it's still warm."

"I'd hate to waste your efforts," Fareeha agreed with a wry smile. "I'm sure it's delicious, and I guarantee it's better than anything I could put together. Too bad I can't keep you around when this is all over."

"As what, your maid and housekeeper?" Angela arched a brow at her, tone joking, but there was a certain sharpness beneath that told Fareeha she'd mis-stepped once again. And so soon after she'd been forgiven for the last time.

"I didn't mean I'd expect you to wait on me," Fareeha answered, squeezing the delicate hand wrapped around hers. "I can't cook well, but I could certainly do my share of chores. Your job is every bit as important as mine, maybe more so. I just mean... it's nice to have something to look forward to coming home to. Don't you think?"

The sudden, intense longing in Angela's eyes caught Fareeha off guard, in the moment before the omega lowered her gaze and hid the expression behind her long, pale lashes. She shook her hand free of Fareeha's, but her fingertips lingered as they drew away, as if she couldn't bear to stop touching one moment before she had to. "Let me dish up some food for you," she said, her voice overly bright, as she moved to the stove and began scooping fragrant spiced rice into a bowl.

Fareeha watched her, bemused and thoughtful. The subject change had been less than graceful, unusual for Angela. That said louder than words could that it was a painfully emotional topic for the omega. Fareeha didn't think the associated emotion was negative, not if that surge of longing was any indication. So Angela wanted a partner to come home to as badly as Fareeha did, but couldn't admit it for some reason.

Gods, why did there have to be so much baggage between them? Fareeha wished she had powers like the famous Overwatch Agent Tracer, so she could go back in time and kick her teenage self's ass for breaking her promise never to control her Angel. If only that distrust hadn't been so thoroughly established, maybe she'd have a chance now of convincing Angela to stay.

She managed to shove the thought aside and eat her food without straining the already awkward conversation any further. By then it was late enough, and both of them exhausted enough by the events of the day, that they came to a silent agreement to simply turn in for the night. 

That was where the agreement abruptly ended, when Fareeha insisted that Angela take the bed. "You're my guest," she said, struggling to keep it from being an order. "I'll take the couch out here, I've slept on worse."

"I'm not exactly a delicate flower, Fareeha," Angela replied, rather tartly. "I've slept on plenty worse, as well. You're far too tall for your couch, but I'll be comfortable enough. It's probably better than my cot in the refugee camp."

Fareeha glanced at the couch, and grimaced. She certainly couldn't argue that it was too small for her to sleep on, not when it was barely wide enough to fit two people sitting snugly together. "I'll make up a pallet on the floor, then. Angela, you've been through hell this week. It's not that I think you're too delicate to handle it, but what kind of person would I be if I didn't do everything in my power to make up for that in any way I can?"

"What kind of person? Or what kind of Alpha?" Angela retorted, hands on her hips, though her glare was directed over Fareeha's shoulder since she couldn't meet an angry Alpha's eyes. 

"Yes, all right, that's part of it," Fareeha acknowledged, throwing up her hands in a gesture of resignation and disgust. "I'm _not_ the kind of Alpha who can ignore the distress or discomfort of a beta or omega, and frankly, I don't want to be that kind. Is that really so terrible? Didn't you acknowledge an hour ago that you can't expect me to ignore _all_ of my instincts? This isn't - _shouldn't be_ \- something so horribly offensive!"

Angela seemed to struggle for a moment, posture shifting to cross her arms over her chest defensively. Finally she said, in a much smaller voice, "Your bedroom will be even more saturated in your scent. The rest of the apartment is bad enough, but if I sleep there, I'll feel... marked."

The words punched through Fareeha's heart like an accusation, and in the hesitation before Angela's last word, Fareeha could hear other, less pleasant ones. 'Claimed'. 'Branded'. She'd heard betas talk about Alpha scents that way. On a mental level she could understand why Angela wouldn't want anyone's scent marking her right now, but on an emotional level it _hurt_. 

Instead of reacting to that pain by lashing out, Fareeha pulled it into herself, using it to remind her how Angela must have felt these last days, scared and alone and in a battle for her very soul against an Alpha who wanted to claim her. Fareeha had no idea how Angela had resisted Moreno, other than the fact that the omega was the most strong-willed and fiercely independent person Fareeha had ever met. Of course the last thing she'd want now was to have an Alpha's scent on her, even a friendly one.

"I understand," Fareeha made herself say. "I have to get up early to report in, but I'll try not to disturb you when I come through the living room. Is there anything I can do to make you more comfortable out here? I'll bring a pillow, you've got a blanket but there are extras..."

She only realized she was babbling when Angela gave her a wry smile and interrupted. "A pillow will be enough. And thank you for understanding. I know it must grate against your protective urge."

"You need to feel independent again more than you need to be protected," Fareeha acknowledged, though the words were razors in her throat. She fetched two pillows - from her tiny linen closet, not from her bed, so they'd hopefully carry less of her scent - and handed them to Angela before she retreated to the doorway of the bedroom. 

Once there she couldn't resist pausing, looking back at Angela. Though the other woman still wore the blanket wrapped around her, Fareeha could all too easily imagine the silk negligee clinging to the lush curves beneath. Coughing to clear her throat, she forced her voice to stay steady when she said, "Good night, Angel. Sleep well."

Then she fled into the privacy of the bedroom, knowing it would be hours yet before she managed to get any rest - and those hours would be filled with heated thoughts of the beautiful omega just out of reach on the other side of the door.


	9. Chapter 9

Angela tossed and turned for far too long, overheated and restless. The couch was comfortable enough, and exhausted as she was from the physical and emotional stress of the last week, she should have been unconscious the moment her head touched the pillow. Instead her mind filled with stressful thoughts, images and memories she couldn't shake free of, and a desperate need for touch.

If that need had been prompted only by her desire for Fareeha, it would have been awkward, but bearable. That, she could have brushed off and ignored, however uncomfortable. But it was thoughts of Moreno that plagued her, all the times the horrid man had tried to force his will upon her, and she'd just barely resisted. One more day, and Angela wasn't sure she'd have been able to hold out any longer. She wanted, _needed_ , comfort and reassurance that she was still safe, still free, and only one person could give that to her. The person who had unwittingly helped her to stay free in the first place.

More than that, Moreno had denied her any touch, trying to make her desperate enough to willingly accept contact from him as her only source of relief. The craving for touch was stronger for a beta than an Alpha, and exponentially so for an omega. Usually Angela got by with contact from her ABO patients, but it wasn't enough to truly satisfy. It meant she was always hovering just on the edge of touch hunger, and even a short amount of time without could tip her over the edge. 

She'd made it through this week by remembering the _years_ of agony Genji suffered before anyone realized the cyborg was an Alpha. Combined with her disgust at the thought of Moreno's touch, and the protection from her partial bond with Fareeha, it had been enough for her to resist the craving.

Now there was a safe source of contact just meters away, the Alpha whose touch she wanted most in all the world. The brief taste she'd had earlier, when soothing Fareeha out of her Alpha rage, wasn't nearly enough. Whimpering, Angela huddled up on herself, pulling the blanket tight around her. She knew eventually she would _have_ to request more touch from Fareeha, but she'd planned to do it in a more controlled manner, when both of them were fully clothed and in a less intimate setting than sharing a bed. Surely she could make it through the night, even if it meant she didn't get any sleep.

Except Fareeha was getting up early and would need to report in straight away. She was still performing her duties in addition to trying to argue for Angela's freedom with her superiors, putting in longer hours than usual - and Angela suspected the Alpha was something of a workaholic to start with. She wouldn't have time in the morning, which meant Angela would have to wait until evening when the Alpha returned home before she could ask for contact.

Finally she was forced to admit defeat. Wrapping the blanket around her shoulders, Angela crept through the living room and knocked lightly on the bedroom door. She wasn't surprised when Fareeha answered immediately, clearly unable to sleep as well. "Angel? Everything okay?"

Since the response didn't include an invitation to enter, Angela was left staring at the door, twisting her hands together. "I..." Drawing a deep breath, she forced herself to say the words. "Please don't take this the wrong way, and I'm so sorry that this is going to make it harder for you, but I... I really need some touch right now."

There was a muttered word, one Angela had heard often from the refugees and assumed was rude. Then the door swung open, and Fareeha reached out to pull Angela into a tight hug. Not having expected quite such a prompt and direct response, Angela gasped, which of course filled her lungs with Fareeha's Alpha scent. Every instinct in her cried out 'safe' and 'home', and Angela melted against her Alpha with a barely muffled sob.

"Easy," Fareeha murmured, stroking Angela's hair, tangled from hours of tossing. "I've got you, and I won't let go. I'm so sorry, Angel. I should have realized you'd need comfort and contact. I've been terribly selfish."

"No, not at all," Angela was driven to protest, though she couldn't bear to lift her head from Fareeha's shoulder, so the words came out muffled. "You were right earlier, I need to do what I can to help you keep control, not provoke you to make things worse."

"Now who's victim blaming?" Fareeha's tone was light, teasing, but her fingers were firm when she tipped Angela's chin back to make the omega look at her. Fareeha's expression was at odds with her voice, solemn and regretful. "There's a delicate balance here, and we're both tipping the scales in the wrong direction sometimes. You did your job earlier and soothed me out of a near-rage. Now let me do mine, and comfort you when you need it."

Though Angela could scent the arousal on the other woman, she also sensed the sincere desire of her Alpha to protect and shelter Angela. She knew, with absolute certainty, that her Alpha would not take advantage of Angela's need to press for more, however much it pained Fareeha to hold back.

Angela also knew that she shouldn't be allowing herself to think of Fareeha as 'her' Alpha, but in that moment, there was no other way she _could_ think.

"Thank you," she whispered. "I know what I said earlier, but could we lie down together for a while?"

"Of course we can." Fareeha pulled back enough to draw her into the bedroom, down into the blankets where the taller woman curled around her, holding her tight in a way that fulfilled every wayward fantasy Angela had ever had about her Fairy.

She knew Fareeha wouldn't judge her for crying, but she was grateful the other woman would assume the tears were due to the stress of the week, not to the pain of longing and anticipation of loss. Breaking this bond might just break Angela in turn, but she knew she didn't have a choice. Not if she wanted to stay free.

* * *

As she drifted awake, Angela luxuriated in the greatest sense of peace and well-being she'd ever experienced in her life. The fine-weave Egyptian cotton sheets were soft whispers against her skin, a delicious contrast to the strong, warm body pressed up against her back. A scent she could only describe as 'sandalwood and safety' wrapped around her and soaked into her until it felt like it was her own. Her bed partner's legs tangled with hers, one arm around her waist with the hand pressed against her abdomen. 

Her _bare_ legs and abdomen, she realized as awareness continued to return. At some point in the night, her lingerie had slipped up around her waist, leaving her lower half exposed to her Alpha's caress. Without thinking she stretched into the sensation, rubbing against Fairy's body behind her, inviting further touch. 

Fareeha groaned and tightened her grip, nuzzling against the back of Angela's neck as the hand on her stomach slid slowly downward, brushing the coarse curls above her aching pussy. Her thighs tensed in reaction, squeezing against Fareeha's leg between hers, arching her back in response. A different sort of croon vibrated in Angela's chest, full of harmonics a normal human could never produce, the sound of a thoroughly happy omega. It was something she'd done only a handful of times in her life, and never felt it as deeply as she did now.

Then that feeling of completion and comfort was ripped away, as Fareeha rolled over with an entirely different sort of groan. She snarled something in Arabic that Angela only caught a few words of, but was clearly self-directed and uncomplimentary. 

Shocked fully awake by the sudden loss, Angela's first urge was to follow her Alpha, reach out and ask what was wrong, offer comfort. She'd barely brushed her fingers across Fareeha's shoulder before the other woman surged out of the bed entirely. She wore only a much-washed t-shirt that clung to her ample curves with a fidelity Angela longed to match, but her shoulders were tight and she refused to look at Angela. 

"Don't." Fareeha's tone was harsh, so full of command that Angela couldn't even think of disobeying, no matter how much she wanted to. Angela's croon choked off, though she couldn't entirely stifle the instinct to soothe that affected her omega pheromones. 

Fareeha sighed, rubbed her face with both hands, and continued in a more moderate tone. "I'm sorry. That was inappropriate. Touching you that way, I mean, though it applies to the order I just gave as well. I promised I'd give you what you needed without pressuring you, and then I broke the promise."

"I started it," Angela admitted, her voice husky with arousal, not sleep. In that moment of need and desire she couldn't remember why she hadn't wanted her Alpha to touch her intimately, couldn't imagine _any_ reason she would refuse such a thing. Her breasts tingled, nipples furled tight with longing, every breath making the silk teddy brush against the sensitive skin to increase her longing. The ache between her legs was sharp enough to qualify as pain, but it was the most amazing kind of pain she'd ever experienced. 

Rising up to kneel on the mattress, she slid her arms around Fareeha's waist from behind, nuzzling against the Alpha's spine. "Fairy, please..."

If she'd thought the other woman was tense before, now Fareeha was wound tight enough to snap. "I have limits, Angela," she said, each word sharp and precise, like razor cuts on Angela's soul. "You of all people should know that." Angela flinched at the reminder of what had happened between them so long ago, but Fareeha wasn't done. "You've made it very clear that you didn't want more than innocent touch between us. If you want me to respect your limits, then you need to respect mine."

Angela knew her Alpha was right, that she needed to let go and back away if she wanted to keep things platonic between them. The problem was, she still couldn't remember why on earth she'd want to do so. "What if I've changed my mind?"

Fareeha went still as a statue, and was silent for so long Angela half wondered if she'd broken the other woman. The scent of her arousal was so thick and heavy that Angela could taste it, a hint of musk on her tongue that made her imagine licking the juices from Fareeha's pussy. She trembled with need, and felt Fareeha start trembling in response.

Instead of turning around, however, Fareeha finally took a long step forward. Angela was forced to either let go, or tumble right off the bed. Without turning, Fareeha said, "Tell me that again tonight when I get home, after you've had a chance to cool off. You're touch drunk, and so am I. I _will not_ force you... not even if you ask me to."

With that fierce declaration she was gone, striding out the bedroom door. It slammed shut behind her, a definitive punctuation to her statement. Angela collapsed in the middle of the bed, shuddering, wrapped around a pillow that smelled strongly of Fareeha's scent. A moment later she heard the shower come on, and the muffled sound of what was surely a string of curse words.

Biting her lip until it bled, Angela resisted the urge to slip her hand between her thighs and ease the ache of need. It would be the height of rudeness to get off in Fareeha's bed, soaking it in the scent of her arousal in a way that simply changing the sheets would likely not fix, to torment the Alpha in the nights to come. 

Yet she couldn't stop wondering if Fareeha was doing the same in the bathroom right now. It certainly seemed to be a long shower, though that could equally likely be due to Fareeha trying to cool herself off, instead. It did give Angela a chance to calm down and breathe, and force herself to think rationally.

Once the pounding heat throbbing in her body finally began to ease, Angela did some swearing of her own, and hid her face in the pillow. Fareeha was absolutely right, and Angela had teased the Alpha unmercifully. It was a miracle the other woman managed to hold on to her self control, and surely must have taken an act of iron will. It was a sharp contrast to the 'betrayal' Fareeha had committed ten years ago, and truly drove home the fact that the girl had been nothing more than a hormonal teenager at the time. 

Angela swallowed hard as her worldview shifted, taking everything she knew and tipping it on its side, then shaking it around a bit for good measure. If Fareeha was capable of holding on to her control under _that_ much pressure, how could Angela _not_ trust that her Alpha would never force her against her will? She was so focused on putting Angela's needs above her own that she'd even considered those needs against Angela's momentary wishes. 

Yes, Fareeha had unthinkingly ordered her to stop talking last night, but frankly it had been a justified need, and she'd rescinded it as soon as she had her control back. Just like her 'don't' command this morning. No Alpha could ever completely avoid giving any orders whatsoever; no _person_ could manage that, Alpha or not. Yes, Angela _had_ to follow Fareeha's orders where she wouldn't be compelled by a normal partner, but Fareeha was being as careful as anyone could be.

The truth was, Angela's dislike of following orders came about largely because she _wanted_ to follow those orders so much. She refused to allow her omega nature to define her, refused to allow others to control her life against her will. But what if it _wasn't_ against her will? What if there was someone she could give that control to for a little while, trusting that her partner would give it back when she needed it?

If that trust could be built... if Angela could give herself over to her Alpha without needing to fear losing herself entirely...

The main door to the apartment slammed, and Angela knew Fareeha was gone. She must have had clothes stashed somewhere she could get at without coming into the bedroom. Rolling over to stare up at the ceiling, Angela decided she was going to have to do some very hard thinking before Fareeha came home.


	10. Chapter 10

Just before Fareeha's shift was over, Tariq sought her out, a hangdog look on his long face. "Lieutenant," he said, saluting. The motion was stiff, suggesting he wasn't fully healed yet, but he looked far better than the last time she'd seen him. 

She said as much when she returned the salute, and somehow that made him look even _more_ ashamed. Brow furrowing, Fareeha studied him, but could see no sign of what might be bothering him. "What is it?" she asked, concerned. "You look like someone caught you kicking a puppy."

"That's kind of how I feel," he admitted, falling into step beside her as she patrolled. "I heard a rumour that the doctor who saved my life is under house arrest, in your charge. Is it true?"

"It's a bit more complicated than that," Fareeha hedged. She couldn't be seen to be badmouthing Moreno, or he would use it against her with the brass to suggest she had some kind of personal vendetta. "But yes, essentially."

"It's my fault, isn't it?" Tariq rubbed a hand over his face. "I said something about... whatever it was she did to save me. I was drugged up pretty hard with painkillers, but I remember babbling something about angels and healing light, and how badly I'd been hurt. I'm so sorry. Is she okay?"

Knowing that Tariq hadn't intentionally betrayed Angela made Fareeha feel a little better about the whole thing. She couldn't even blame him for spilling the beans, not really. As he said, he'd been out of his mind with pain and drugs. Small wonder he'd been indiscreet. 

"Angela's okay," Fareeha assured him, and his shoulders sagged with relief. "It's not your fault, and I'm sure she won't blame you."

"Oh, Angela, is it?" Tariq dared to tease, his eyes alight with mischief. "On a first name basis already? I don't think I've ever known you to be informal with someone so fast. Took me nearly dying before you stopped calling me ‘rookie’."

"I think two decades is probably long enough not to qualify as 'fast'." Fareeha made her tone very dry - the same tone she used when someone on her squad had fucked up, and she was about to deliver the dressing down of their lives. Tariq winced in reaction. "I've known her since she was an intern in Overwatch, and I was just a kid spending summers with my mother."

"Ah, hell." Tariq rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed all over again. "I'm doubly sorry, then. I mean, not that I'd feel any less bad about what happened if she weren't your personal friend... but at least I wouldn't also have just stuck my foot in my mouth." Fareeha chuckled, and Tariq made a fatalistic sort of 'what can you do?' gesture. "Why's she under house arrest for saving my life, though? I don't get it."

"It's not about the fact that she saved you." Fareeha sighed, debating how much she should - or had the right to - tell him. "It's about _how_ she did it. Angela is a genius, at the top of her field in biotic nanotech and medical research. Unfortunately, her miracle tech can also be used to harm, and she's always been afraid to share it in case someone weaponized it."

Tariq's expression went dark. "Someone like Helix," he guessed shrewdly. "They made up some bullshit pretext to drag her in and pressure her to work for them?"

Now Fareeha had to be extra careful to choose her words. Badmouthing Moreno might be a bad idea, but being heard badmouthing Helix could be catastrophic for Angela's chances of going home. Not to mention it would be hell on Fareeha’s career.

Fareeha believed in Helix Corporation as a whole, was dedicated to the ideals of protection and service that were the company's core values. But she held no illusions that the brass were saints. They were people, with flaws and ambitions of their own, and far too many would be happy to snatch a chance to further their own aims by stealing Angela's tech, even if it meant employing underhanded methods to coerce her to give that tech up.

As for Moreno's attempt to forcibly torture an omega into bonding with him, she _wanted_ to believe that nobody in the top ranks would condone such actions. Unfortunately, the reality was that many people, ABOs and normals alike, believed the bullshit about omegas being so passive and submissive that they _needed_ a strong Alpha 'to take care of them'. Some even believed that omegas had no real will of their own, so how could anything be done to them against their will?

"Uh, Lieutenant?" Tariq looked nervous, edging away from her, trying to do it subtly enough that she wouldn't notice. "You're growling."

She wasn't just growling; her whole body vibrated with Alpha rage at the thought of her Angel being viewed with such contempt. With great effort, Fareeha reined herself back in. "Sorry," she apologized. "It's an Alpha thing. Angela is an omega, and I hate the way that makes people treat her."

"Not nearly as much as she hates it, I bet," Tariq nodded. At Fareeha's look of surprise, he grinned. "My father's sister married an omega, and her wife is both the sweetest and the strongest woman I've ever met. Aunt Priyanka never argues, definitely never fights, but somehow she's always the one who gets her way in the end. She just... is so nice about it that you can't bear to disappoint her. I've seen some of the crap she deals with, though."

Tariq wasn't ABO, and as far as Fareeha was aware he didn't have any ABO in his bloodline, so the father's sister was presumably a normal. The two women could never bond as ABOs would, but that also meant the omega was safe from being forced to follow orders. She'd still have the impulse to submit, but it wouldn't be a compulsion.

The thought drove home the unfairness of the fact that no matter how much Fareeha loved Angela - and she did, so damn much that she ached with it - she would never be able to have her Angel. Even if she hadn't fucked up so badly as a kid, how could she ever ask Angela to trust that Fareeha would never command her? Hell, she'd done it several times already just in the day and a half since she'd brought the omega home.

No, it would never work. But Fareeha would defend her omega to her dying breath, if need be.

Realizing she was growling again, she sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, forcing herself to stop. "I'm too wound up to go fight with the major again. Damn it. I can't put this off, she's _losing patients_ while she's trapped here instead of out there working in her hospital. But if I go now, I'll end up ranting like a madwoman and they'll arrest _me_ as well as taking her back into company custody."

"Take a break," Tariq advised. "Listen, I've got some connections in the higher levels of the company - not the military side, but the corporate. Let me see what strings I can pull. I'm the one who got her into this mess, after all. She saved my life, I can at least try to save her liberty."

Letting someone else take over the fight seemed too much like she was admitting defeat. It made Fareeha feel as though she was failing in her job as an Alpha, to protect her omega. But she couldn't deny that her own reputation only got her so far, and being her mother's daughter held only so much weight. Having someone else helping her to yank on the chains of the brass could only benefit her - and more importantly, benefit Angela.

Plus, the idea of _going home_ was incredibly appealing, when she had Angela to come home to. Letting herself simply _be_ with the omega long enough to truly unwind, relax... and maybe finish the conversation they'd started that morning in bed, now that Angela had time to cool off and think rationally. Even if they couldn't be together long term, maybe they could have this little time together?

That thought made up her mind for her. Fareeha knew it was unrealistic, knew Angela would almost certainly have come to her senses and would reject her touch again. But the _chance_ of it was too much to give up. And even if Angela said no, Fareeha knew the omega would never refuse to offer comfort and compassion when needed. 

Tomorrow she could try again, with a clear head and without the stew of lust and need and frustration that had resulted from this morning's 'conversation'. She might even have help from Tariq's connections. Tomorrow was the squad's day off, which meant she wouldn't have to spend the whole day on duty brooding over the mess before she could talk to someone who could do something about it.

Always better to face the battle fresh and rested. Mind made up, Fareeha nodded. "Thanks," she said, patting Tariq on the shoulder. "Do what you can, and we'll see what tomorrow brings."

"Aye aye, Lieutenant." He saluted her, smiling. "We'll get this sorted out. She deserves better than this mess."

"Yes, she does," Fareeha agreed, saluting him in return.

The moment her shift was over, instead of heading upstairs to demand a meeting as she'd originally planned, Fareeha went straight home. She briefly debated stopping to pick up dinner, but although Angela hadn't said anything about cooking again, Fareeha knew the omega felt like she ought to repay Fareeha's hospitality somehow. If she was wrong, or if Angela had expected her back much later and hadn't started dinner yet, perhaps Fareeha could take her out to a nice restaurant. Surely her clothes would have arrived by now.

The thought of treating Angela to a nice dinner pleased her so much, Fareeha decided that if they couldn't do it today, she'd definitely take Angela out tomorrow. The omega deserved all the pampering in the world, and Fareeha wanted to give it to her, any way Angela would allow her to. 

By the time she reached her apartment building, Fareeha was so caught up in the anticipation of spending more time with Angela, she all but bounded up the stairs. At her apartment she knocked briefly, to avoid startling Angela, then swung the door open. "Angel, I'm..."

'Home' never left her lips, as Fareeha stared in shock at the devastation of her apartment. 

Furniture had been knocked askew and ripped open, fabric and stuffing strewn over the smooth wooden floor. Clothing had been tossed here and there, unfamiliar to her; after a moment she saw a shipping box in the corner and realized Angela's things must have arrived, and were now scattered all over. All of her electronics had been smashed, and... Fareeha wrinkled her nose in disgust as a musky odor hit her. Someone had urinated in at least one place, maybe several.

Cold swept over her in an icy wave of rage. Fareeha's upper lip trembled with a barely contained snarl as she stalked into the apartment, taking in the wanton destruction and the message it represented. Someone had been here, in her most personal space, and destroyed her belongings. Someone had _taken Angela_ and left this ruin in their wake, making their contempt of Fareeha clear. Someone had said, louder than words, that they disrespected her status as an Alpha and her ability to care for and protect her omega.

Only one person would dare.

The snarl tore free as Fareeha spun on her heel and stormed out of her apartment, back to Helix Headquarters. Moreno had badly overstepped, and she was going to teach him the lesson he so richly deserved. And if he had laid one finger on Angela, if he'd hurt her in _any_ way, there was going to be absolute hell to pay.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warnings for prisoner mistreatment in this chapter, including physical abuse and implied threat of rape

Everything felt dull and faded, sounds and scents at a distance as if she'd been wrapped in cotton and stuffed away into a trunk. Sight was non-existent... Angela realized why when she tried to blink, and discovered her eyes were closed. The lids felt gummed together, as if someone had glued them shut as a prank. 

Groaning, she struggled to open them, and finally managed to slit the lids apart. Immediately blinding light slashed into her brain, so bright she cried out and tried to press her hands against her eyes. They refused to answer, locked into position behind her back... tied there, she realized a moment later. Worse, she was utterly nude, not a stitch of clothing on her, the hard metal of the chair freezing against her delicate skin.

Chills ran down her spine, and she cried out again in panic and disbelief. She knew all too well what this was - it was the same situation she'd been in for the better part of a week, before Fareeha came to rescue her. She was tied up in a chair in that damn basement room at Helix Headquarters, and at any moment her tormentor would be arriving to torture her further.

Had it all been a dream? Had she imagined Fareeha coming to rescue her? Hallucinated the arousal and comfort and heady mix of other emotions and scents that plagued her when her Alpha was near?

Panicked, Angela screamed Fareeha's name, as if that could summon the other woman to her side. As if that could make her dream the reality, and this reality nothing more than a nightmare. She thrashed against her bonds, rubbing her wrists raw in a frantic attempt to escape the unbreakable ties. Her ankles were bound too, each to one leg of her chair. One hard thrash too many tipped the chair over, sending her crashing down to the hard concrete floor, scraping her shoulder and arm raw.

"Now, now." The too-familiar oily voice slipped into her ears, and Angela could swear it caused a physical sensation of repulsion. "Don't hurt yourself, little omega. I have uses in mind for those hands, both professional and... personal." Strong hands gripped the chair and yanked it upright, setting her back in the original position. Her tormentor came into view, blocking the too-bright light, and Angela bit back a sob of fear.

"Moreno." The name slipped from her, hardly more than a choked whisper. Except, she'd learned that name from Fareeha, hadn't she? And if her Fairy had been a dream, surely the name wasn't real either.

His eyes narrowed as he glared at her, then the anger seemed to pass. He shrugged, a fatalistic gesture. "I'd have preferred you not know my name just yet, but it hardly matters. As I've told you before, the only thing I want you to call me is 'Master'."

Angela's heart leapt in her chest, thundering so fast her breath came short in response, lungs struggling to oxygenate her racing blood. She stared at him, fear mingling with disbelief and hope. His name _was_ Moreno. How could she have learned that, if not from Fareeha? But if the rescue had been real, how could she be here, now?

The last thing she remembered was... Angela strained, struggling to bring fuzzy images to the forefront of her mind. She'd woken in Fareeha's arms, her Alpha's delicious scent wrapped around her, the touch of that strong body so comforting and arousing that Angela had hardly been able to think past her need. Then Fareeha had pulled away, resisting what they both wanted so badly, and in so doing she'd set Angela's world on its head. 

She'd spent a long time thinking, then gotten up to try to scrounge some kind of breakfast. She’d made plans for the talk she and Fareeha needed to have when the Alpha returned. There had been a loud noise... the front door slamming open? She'd turned to see, and then...

Nothing. A blank space in her mind, as if the world flipped a switch and ceased to exist. Anesthetic, Angela realized. Or more likely, a very fast acting tranquilizer, administered in dart form. Moreno, or one of his flunkies, had knocked her out cold and dragged her back into her nightmare.

Outrage flared, pushing fear to the back of her mind. A tiny part of her danced in joy, knowing that Fareeha _had_ been real, that her Fairy was everything Angela had hoped she would be. "You're a fool," she told Moreno, and had the satisfaction of seeing him jump. He hadn't expected her to be anything but terrified. "Do you really believe she won't come for me? What do you think will happen this time, when she finds you?"

"Let her try," Moreno scoffed. "She'll never find you here. When you see her next, you'll be bound to me, and there will be nothing she can do about it. With your medical miracles at my command, and modified into such a powerful weapon, the brass will take my side over hers. They can't afford to do otherwise, no matter whose daughter the bitch is."

Angela laughed, startling herself with the sound almost as much as Moreno. "Do you truly think it will be that easy? You had a week, and you didn't manage to break me. How long do you plan to spend at it this time? She _will_ find me. She will hunt to the ends of the earth to save me."

Moreno stared at her, his eyes flicking back and forth across her face as if he searched for a window into her soul. Angela laughed again, and though the fear was still there, she was now in complete control. "You have no chance," she taunted him. "End this now, while you still _might_ walk away alive. Set me free, and maybe I can convince her not to tear you to pieces."

"You _bitch_ ," Moreno snarled, and backhanded her across the face. "Don't you dare speak to me like that, you filth!" The blow was so hard it knocked her over again, and Angela couldn't quite stop a pained cry as her cheek throbbed in agony. 

Fracture, her medical mind calculated in a small corner of her brain. Not a break, though another blow would certainly finish the job. He hadn't done anything worse than bruises last time, still mostly trying to woo her into compliance. This time, he apparently intended to use harsher methods.

He _could_ break her body. There was nothing she could do to stop him. Even untied, she had no chance against him hand-to-hand; he was a field operative, highly trained, and while Angela could hold her own when necessary in a battle, she was no front line fighter.

But breaking her soul... that was another story. That was where the true danger lay, that he could coerce a bond through sheer abuse, wearing her down physically and emotionally until she could not longer fight the instinct to submit. Her partial bond with Fareeha offered some protection, but it was still fragile and could be broken. Thankfully she already had an answer to that threat.

For the first time in her life Angela let go, stopped fighting her instincts, and embraced the omega part of herself fully and completely. Immediately her senses were flooded with Fareeha's scent, pulled from her memory but also from her own skin, where it had been embedded over the course of the night. 

Angela accepted their bond with all her heart, no hesitation and no regrets, and it wrapped her in its loving embrace. She’d intended to do this later, after talking with Fareeha about it and making a decision together, but she knew she wouldn’t regret the decision.

Being claimed to the depths of her soul turned out to be the most utterly freeing experience Angela could ever imagine. 

"You can't have me," she said, delighted with her own defiance. Even the pain of speaking couldn't dull her joy. "You're too late, Moreno . I will never belong to you, because I have always belonged to her, and there's nothing you can do about it." He could make her suffer, he could torture her until she would give in and do anything he asked, but he would never, _never_ own her soul.

"Impossible," he insisted. "No bond could form that fast. Nor has your scent changed. You're lying, bitch."

Looking up at him from such an awkward angle made his scowl appear more funny than frightening. The giddiness of a new bond had Angela firmly in its grip, and she giggled. The sound was better suited to a schoolgirl in the throes of her first crush, and Angela would have slapped a hand across her mouth to stop herself if she could. Instead she shook her head, struggling for equanimity. 

"My scent hasn't changed because I've belonged to her far longer than you've known me." Angela smiled up at him. "She _will_ come for me. It's only a matter of time. Get your affairs in order, Mr. Moreno, because this is your last chance to do so."

He swore harshly, his voice an animal snarl. He paced back and forth across the room, stopped briefly beside her to kick her in the ribs, then stormed out. The slam of the door behind him was so loud, Angela's ears rang.

Or perhaps that was the pain of the ribs he'd no doubt broken. Between that and the agony in her cheek, Angela felt faint. Her shoulder ached, jammed between her weight and the floor. Rolling onto her back would be easy enough, but then her hands would bear the brunt of her weight. Breathing shallowly, Angela rolled carefully to her front instead, then struggled up onto her knees. It was dismayingly difficult to get that far, and reaching her feet proved impossible from that position. Finally she figured out how to brace her shoulder against the wall so she could inch upright, then dropped back down to sit on the chair properly.

Now all she had to do was wait. That should have chafed at her, causing the ‘princess in the tower’ feeling Angela hated so much. But she was no wilting lily, cowering in a corner and helpless against her aggressor. There was no shame in needing help once in a while - nobody could do everything on their own. Angela had done her part, holding on to her will and defying Moreno, and giving Fareeha a way to find her.

Not all bonds had the ability to track each other's location. In fact, it was an exceedingly rare ability, and usually required an intensely deep and long-lasting bond. Yet Angela could sense Fareeha's presence somewhere off to the left, and had no doubt that Fareeha would be able to feel her as well. How else could the Alpha have located her the first time, buried in the basement of the Headquarters building?

Her Alpha would come. Angela would endure, and Fareeha would come for her, and their bond would finally, _finally_ be complete.


	12. Chapter 12

Standing at the head of their ready room, surveying the milling members of her squad, Fareeha felt a surge of pride and a touch of awe. Ten people stood before her, every one of them here on their precious day off because she called and said 'I need you'. They were here not out of loyalty to Helix and their jobs, but out of loyalty to _her_ , personally. It was a testament to how well she'd done her job as a commander, and honestly, she was humbled. She'd expected a few, perhaps half, not all of them.

Clearing her throat, she grabbed their attention and the murmured conversations died off. Ten pairs of eyes looked at her expectantly, full of curiosity and excitement. 

"Thank you for coming," she said, keeping her voice low but strong enough to reach them all. "What I'm about to ask of you is not a sanctioned Helix mission. It's not even an unsanctioned one. It's a personal favour, and while we are not actively working against Helix's interests, there is at least one person in the company who will perceive our actions that way. This is strictly volunteer and there will be no judgement for refusing to step forward. If any of you want to leave, do so with my blessing, but do it now."

She waited, fully expecting that at least a few of them would go, but nobody so much as twitched towards the door. Tariq spoke up. "This is something to do with the doctor who saved me, isn't it?" A soft murmur swept the group.

"Yes," Fareeha confirmed. She outlined what had happened, and what she'd found when she came home the day before. "Moreno's on a leave of absence for a 'family emergency'," she concluded, fighting to keep the inhuman snarl out of her voice. "I have no proof that he has Dr. Ziegler, or even that anything has happened to her against her will. The major's secretary not so subtly suggested that perhaps I'd scared her off by being an 'overbearing Alpha', and she'd simply left to get away."

"Trashing her own belongings in the process?" Tariq said. "Yeah, that seems likely."

"That's what I said, but nobody seemed interested in hearing it." Fareeha smiled grimly. "To me that suggests the brass is well aware of what Moreno is trying to do, and while they won't officially condone it, they want her tech badly enough to let him get away with it."

"Not all of us."

Startled by the unexpected voice, Fareeha swung around and saw an unfamiliar woman standing in the doorway. She was tall, dressed in an expensively tailored pantsuit with an equally expensive haircut, and makeup so flawless that it became a type of armour. Though her scent was that of a normal human, she carried herself with a decisive assertiveness that Fareeha normally saw in Alphas. This was a woman who knew her own worth, and knew how to wield the power she held.

And in her left hand, she carried Angela's Caduceus staff.

"Aunt Nabila?" Tariq looked startled. "What are you doing here?"

"You asked me to look into things," Nabila said, her red lips tilting in a wry smile. "I'm looking into them. Lieutenant Amari. Your service record speaks highly of your accomplishments and dedication. Almost as highly as my nephew does."

Fareeha waited for the inevitable comment about her mother. To her surprise, Nabila said nothing further, making no comparison of Fareeha to Ana. For that alone, Fareeha would have liked the woman. "I'm honoured, ma'am. That staff..."

"Is the private property of Dr. Angela Ziegler," Nabila finished, her words bitten off as if they left a bad taste in her mouth. "I understand it was confiscated under a pretense of being some sort of weapon, on falsified charges. While I have no power over the military branch of our organization, as one of Helix's corporate lawyers, I extend a formal apology from the company to Dr. Ziegler for the misunderstanding. I assure you it is being fully investigated."

She held the staff out to Fareeha, who accepted it. She felt such intense relief she feared she would drop it, surprised by the substantial weight. She'd been fighting so hard and getting nowhere with the brass, it hadn't even occurred to her to try going the corporate route instead of through the security force chain of command. "Thank you, ma'am." 

"It's the least I can do for the woman who saved my nephew's life, and frankly the least Helix _should_ be doing for such a renowned humanitarian." Nabila cocked an eyebrow. "Now, what's this I overheard about the doctor being missing? I thought she was in your care."

Once again Fareeha explained the situation. Nabila's expression grew dark, and by the end she bore a fearsome scowl. "Outrageous. Has the man lost his mind? This is a PR nightmare in the making. Not just for public opinion of the company, but for the loyalty and well-being of every beta and omega employed by Helix. Who would be willing to work for a company that condones a forced bonding? How could they be sure they wouldn't be next? Absolutely unacceptable."

"It _does_ seem like he's not acting rationally," Fareeha agreed. "He and I have always had different views of the way things should be done, how subordinates - and submissives - should be treated. His handling of the situation initially, forcing Ang... Dr. Ziegler to go with him and trying to coerce her into cooperating, that is something I'd expect from him. But to break into my apartment and kidnap her, going AWOL in the process? I assumed he must be following orders from higher up."

"Not as far as I've been able to determine. And if it turns out later that anyone _has_ endorsed this insane endeavor, I'll be having very sharp words with them." Nabila sighed. "Some Alphas react oddly to the presence of an omega. You're all immediately drawn to them, but for some it becomes an instant obsession with _having_ them. My wife Priyanka believes it happens with very powerful Alphas who control themselves _too_ harshly, who don't allow themselves enough relief through contact with betas, either because they can't or won't let go and be vulnerable with someone else. Simply being in the presence of an omega is, I'm told, equivalent to being in a room full of betas, and the effect hits them hard in a way they don't know how to deal with."

"They've never experienced true release, and then suddenly they understand what it's supposed to feel like," Fareeha murmured, understanding squeezing at her heart. After all, Nabila could have been describing _her_. She took what contact she needed from the other ABOs in Helix, but she wasn't attached to any of them, and didn't pursue anything beyond satisfying the worst of that need. When she'd encountered Angela again after all those years, it felt like a sucker-punch to the gut. The longing and loneliness had surged up full force, nearly choking her. The release she'd experienced when Angela hugged her to soothe her...

Fareeha could all too easily imagine being driven to possess the miracle that had given her such an intense feeling of pleasure and relief. God, wasn't that exactly what Fareeha had done, all those years ago when she'd forced Angela to kiss her? 

Also, the type of Alpha that Nabila described was usually even more of a control freak than the rest of them, and an omega could steal that control from them simply by existing. It would be all too easy to conclude that in order to maintain their rigid self-discipline, they needed to have control over the omega in turn. 

"Why it happens is irrelevant," Nabila said, her firm tone snapping Fareeha out of an increasingly horrified reverie. "No reason, however painful, could possibly excuse their actions. Moreno has crossed a line that cannot be uncrossed. I'm officially clearing your unit to..."

A tidal wave of emotion swamped Fareeha, drowning out whatever else Nabila might have said. Joy, so intense and overwhelming that it left Fareeha giddy; love, so strong and powerful it made her heart want to burst; devotion, so fierce and determined that nothing could possibly stand in its way. Her heart raced, breath coming too fast, blood pounding as the room spun.

Her ears rang with clamouring voices, and hands helped keep her on her feet. Her knees gave way, and they lowered her into a chair. Realizing she'd squeezed her eyes shut against the flood of sensations, Fareeha forced herself to steady her breath and look up. Her squad gathered around her in a concerned cluster, Nabila standing to one side holding the Caduceus staff again. Fareeha must have dropped it in the moment of dizziness.

"Lieutenant? Lieutenant Amari? Fareeha! Are you okay?" Tariq knelt in front of her, chafing her wrists as if to warm her. She _was_ shivering, Fareeha realized, but it had nothing to do with temperature. 

"I'm... I'm all right." She had to force the words out past a lump in her throat. She wanted to laugh and cry and scream all at the same time, but doing any of them would make her look hysterical. Hating the idea of appearing weak in front of her squad, she pushed up to sit on her own, without support from them. There was only one explanation she could think of for what had happened, impossible though it seemed. "I think we just bonded."

"How can that be? She's not even here," Tariq protested.

"The bond must have been almost complete." When had that happened? How could Fareeha not have noticed?

Except, she realized in hindsight, she _had_ noticed. She just hadn't been consciously aware of what it meant. The way she'd been so insanely obsessed with protecting the omega, her out-of-control arousal at the slightest provocation from Angela, the driving need to care and provide for the other woman... all of it was now explained. The instincts of an Alpha would always be more powerful toward her bonded mate, and all the more so if the bond wasn't complete yet.

As for _when_... well, Fareeha's utter inability to move on and find happiness with anyone other than her Angel was now explained, as well. The bond had always been there on some level, waiting for them to acknowledge and embrace it so it could come to fruition.

Which meant Angela had fully accepted the connection to Fareeha and everything it meant. Captured, terrified, thrust back into the nightmare she'd only just escaped from... and instead of fighting against Moreno alone, Angela chose to turn to Fareeha, trusting in her Alpha to help her find the strength she needed to resist. The bond would give Angela protection from Moreno's orders.

It would also give Fareeha a way to find her, because she could feel a sense of urgency pulling her heart northwest, the rest of her body demanding to follow. Now she understood how she'd found Angela the first time, locked in the basement of Headquarters, when Fareeha had no reason to even go looking. The bond had been pulling her even then.

"I know where she is," Fareeha exclaimed, heart filled with vengeful glee as she rose to her feet. "I can find her now. There's nowhere that bastard can hide her from me."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Tariq grinned at her, echoed by the other members of the squad. "Let's go kick some Alpha ass."

 _Hold on, Angel_ , Fareeha thought with all her heart and soul, hoping against hope that the bond would somehow convey her feelings back to her omega. _I'm coming for you. Just hold on._


	13. Chapter 13

In a city as ancient as Cairo, 'straight lines' were a figment of the imagination, and travelling along one was impossible. Since this wasn't a sanctioned mission, Fareeha didn't have the right to requisition rocket suits for her and her people to fly over the tangle of streets. She was forced to go on foot, turning this way and that, hitting dead ends and retracing her steps, working through the labyrinthine streets of the still-damaged city.

The closer they got to her sense of 'Angela', the harder Fareeha pushed herself, battling a clawing, agonizing _need_ to protect her omega. Every step she took meant a moment longer that Angela was in Moreno's power, another opportunity for the bastard to hurt her. Every second that passed was a failure on her part to protect the most precious part of her soul. A powerful beat of _mine, mine, mine_ pounded through Fareeha in time with her running feet, driving her onward.

Yet each time she thought she might lose control entirely, Fareeha gripped the memory of the overwhelming flood of love and joy that struck her at the moment of the bond's completion. Her Angel loved and trusted her _that much_. To give in to the Alpha fury was to betray that trust, and Fareeha would never make that mistake again. The bond carried echoes of her omega's soothing presence, almost as good as having a beta right there to help Fareeha calm herself. Even as it bound them together, it seemed the bond was setting Fareeha free.

When they reached the edge of the city and Fareeha realized what their destination had to be, she wondered again if Moreno had lost his mind. The Necropolis was one of the oldest parts of the city, decaying and dangerous, with pitfalls everywhere and entire buildings just waiting to collapse on an unwary traveller. Though nominally a tourist attraction, only a few parts were actually upkept and safe for viewing, while the rest fell slowly into ruin. Cairo's resources were stretched too thin, still trying frantically to rebuild the city from the disastrous mission Overwatch ran there years before. There wasn't enough to make the inhabited regions safe, and their history was left to crumble into ruin.

It was also a warren of criminals and degenerates, the place where the scum of the city collected like trash blown into a midden heap. If the falling architecture or giant pits didn't get you, the human rats living within would finish the job. Nobody sane came out here.

Of course, that meant Moreno would fit right in. And nobody would answer a captive woman's scream for help, or even report it to the authorities. Out here, Moreno was free to do as he pleased with no fear of interference.

Leaning on the stability of the bond for calm, Fareeha turned to her squad. "Tariq, Saleh, with me. Everyone else spread out, form a perimeter, guarding both inwards and outwards. There's been no sign that he has reinforcements, but we don't know that he's alone, either. Clear out anyone you find, with force if necessary but try to keep it to a minimum. We don't need extra trouble from the locals, but there's no sense in turning our backs to potential enemies. Helix isn't exactly well-liked in these parts." All of their gear had the Helix logo on it. There was no hope they wouldn't be identified.

As her men and women spread out in a perimeter, Fareeha walked toward the ruined building her subconscious was certain held her Angel. The pulse of connection was so strong Fareeha could hardly believe the omega wasn't standing right in front of her. She _had_ to be close. 

Fareeha held the Caduceus staff in her off hand, sweat making her palm slip on the grip. She couldn't use it, but she wanted it back in Angela's hand where it belonged sooner rather than later. It had become the symbol of Angela's freedom, and she wanted her Angel to know she was free the moment the omega saw it.

"Moreno!" Fareeha called out when she was within range of the building. "Come out, you disgusting piece of shit." Every instinct demanded that she charge in and attack, not give the bastard warning of what was coming. But she didn't know the layout inside, didn't know where Angela was. She couldn't go in firing and risk hitting the omega. 

Moreno was absolutely low enough to use an innocent woman as a bullet shield.

"I know you're in there, asshole!" Fareeha shouted again when there was no response. "Whatever support you think you're going to get from the Helix brass for this, you can forget about it. Corporate knows what you've done, and you've created a public relations nightmare. The PR and Legal departments might be even less happy with you than I am, if that's possible."

"You bitch!" Moreno finally made an appearance, standing on the building's crumbling rooftop terrace. His hand tangled in Angela's golden hair, holding her head steady as he pressed the muzzle of a pistol to her temple. She was nude, kneeling on the sandstone with her head forced back at an awkward angle by Moreno's grip on her, hands secured behind her back and duct tape plastered across her mouth. The sight fanned the fury within Fareeha higher still.

Belatedly it occurred to her that she should be using negotiation protocols for this situation. Fareeha had been trained in handling hostage situations, and she'd pretty much blown every single rule out of the water already. Then again, Moreno must surely know there would be no negotiating terms with Fareeha, not after he'd taken Angela and destroyed her home in such a blatant message. If Fareeha tried to hand the problem over to someone unbiased, it would only make her look weak, and convince Moreno he was in the right. He was very much the kind of 'might makes right' Alpha that Fareeha despised.

Which might actually be their saving grace, right now. There was one way to end this without Moreno harming Angela in order to hurt Fareeha. She had to turn this into a formal challenge. "Come down here and fight me like an Alpha, you coward," she called up to him, standing with her feet spread, hands on her hips in a dominant stance. "What's the matter, Moreno? Not man enough to take on a woman in a fair fight? Need to hide behind an omega for safety from the big bad wolf? You're a sad sack of shit, a pathetic excuse for an Alpha."

"Uh, Lieutenant? Are you sure this is a good idea?" Tariq murmured, eyeing her warily. 

"Better than the alternatives I've got right now," she replied, not even trying to hide the growl that vibrated the words. Fareeha was pissed, and quite happy for the world to know it. "If I can make this about his pride, keep him thinking with the same head as usual instead of the one on his shoulders, he'll forget about her and focus on me."

"I hope you know what you're doing, sir."

So did she, but there was nothing for it now. He still hadn't said anything more, still hadn't let go of his grip on Angela or made any further threats, which meant he was dithering. Fareeha walked slowly forward, holding up the Caduceus staff like an offering. "Well? Just you and me, Moreno. Find out once and for all who's the better Alpha. Winner takes all."

Angela might kill her later for talking about the omega as if she was a prize to be won, but that was how Moreno thought of her, so that was how Fareeha had to get to him.

She knew it was working when he finally answered her. "I'm not an idiot, Amari. You've got an entire squad down there. Any of you takes one more step and I'll shoot this disobedient cunt somewhere soft and painful."

The threat to Angela had Fareeha's growl ratcheting up a notch, but his words also gave Fareeha an opening. His outrage at Angela's disobedience was that of an Alpha losing control, being consumed by his instincts. She could play on that, weaken him further.

"Kill me, you break the bond," she pointed out. "Not only that, she'll be devastated. No will to resist at all. The staff's right here; you'll have it, her, and everything you ever wanted, yours for the taking. Just you and me, Moreno. My people know better than to interfere in an Alpha fight. Come down here."

" _You_ come up _here_ ," Moreno shot back. "Alone. Then we'll finish this once and for all, and I'll put you in your proper place."

Fareeha considered it. Her team would have eyes on her up there. They wouldn't be able to do anything fast enough to help if he turned on her and shot her instead of fighting, but they _would_ be able to take him out afterward, and he knew it. If she went down, so did he. Besides, backstabbing her to win the fight would actually cause him to lose it, in terms of Alpha pride.

"All right, I'm coming," she agreed. Turning to Tariq, she ordered, "Do _not_ interfere. Keep cameras on us at all times, I want this recorded for his court martial - because there's damn well going to be one, if i have anything to say about it."

"Pretty sure Aunt Nabila does have something to say about it, and she agrees with you," Tariq replied with grim humour. "Just keep in mind that if you get yourself killed up there, he _will_ get everything he wants. You made it an Alpha challenge, and that means if you die in the fight, it's not considered a murder. The doctor will break, and if she gives him what he wants, no matter what Nabila says, there's a chance the brass will decide her tech is valuable enough to overlook how he got it."

And if that happened, Fareeha's team might well find themselves assigned to a security duty in the depths of the Sahara to keep them from spreading bad publicity about the situation... or they might be silenced completely. She didn't want to believe Helix would go that far, but all it would take was one greedy bastard high enough on the corporate ladder. 

"Are you doubting my prowess?" she replied, trying to answer his dark humour with her own. "You really think I'd let a piece of slime like that beat me? Have a little faith." She had to win. There was no other acceptable outcome. So she _would_. 

Tariq grinned. "Go kick his ass, Lieutenant. We'll cover your six."

Of course they would. Fareeha could never doubt that her team would have her back. Not after they'd all showed up today, trooped out here knowing they might be risking their careers or even their lives, simply because she'd asked them to. Because it was important to her, personally. Her squad was her family, and that was how it should be.

As she walked to the building, the back of Fareeha's neck itched. It felt like she had a giant target pinned to her forehead; Moreno could shoot her at any moment, and there'd be nothing she could do about it. She had to count on him being smart enough to realize that his life was forfeit if he killed her in a double-cross, yet stupid enough to believe he could take her one to one.

Reaching the entrance at least got her out of his sights, but she was aware of the possibility that he'd trapped the place somehow. Nothing jumped out at her as she climbed the stairs, however, and soon enough she emerged on the roof. Her hand clenched on the staff so tightly her knuckles pressed white against the skin.

Moreno had moved to the far side, away from the edge to stand against the wall of the taller ruin that butted up against this one, giving him cover and a clear line of sight on the stairway. He had his pistol aimed at her instead of Angela now. Stupid. Fareeha was far more willing to take a risk when the threat was to her own life. If he'd kept the muzzle pressed to Angela's head, she'd have been more hesitant to act.

Up close she could see that Angela was indeed completely nude, covered in dark marks that might have been dirt, and might have been bruises. Fareeha was willing to bet far too many were the latter. Certainly the ugly, mottled burst of colour spreading over her torso indicated a blow that had probably broken ribs, and a matching splotch on her face had swollen one of Angela's eyes nearly shut. Her chest heaved as she struggled to get enough air with her head tilted back so far by Moreno's grip on her hair and mouth covered by the tape.

Despite all that, the emotion shining in her eyes was primarily fury. Mostly directed at Moreno, but an edge of her glare was definitely reserved for Fareeha, though the gag kept her from expressing her anger. 

"Chew me out for treating you like a trophy object later, Angel," Fareeha told her. "Right now, I've got business to deal with."

"Shut the fuck up, bitch," Moreno growled. "Drop the gun."

"Are bitch and cunt the only two words you know to address a woman?" Fareeha taunted him. "Your mother should have washed your mouth out with soap more often." Taking a risk, she holstered her gun. There was no point in insisting they drop the weapons at the same time - he'd just hold on to his. Besides, he knew very well that if he shot her, the court wouldn't consider it part of the Alpha challenge.

Sure enough, once her gun was away he reluctantly holstered his, too. Then he used his grip on Angela's hair to wrench her backwards, throwing her behind him at the wall. "Stay there," he ordered her. "I'll get back to you soon enough."

"Don't give her orders," Fareeha snarled. "She's _mine_." She tossed the Caduceus staff aside, making sure the throw appeared careless, as if she simply wanted her hands free for the fight. Which she did... but she was counting on him underestimating her omega's ingenuity and determination.

"Shut your mouth, Amari," Moreno growled back. "I'm going to enjoy every second of this, you uppity whore." Then he lunged at her, arm thrust forward in a palm strike at her face, food sweeping out to try to catch her behind the ankle and trip her up.

Fareeha blocked the strike and jumped out of the way of his sweep, then went on her own offensive. Two fast punches to his face, forcing him to raise his guard, then a low kick - not to his groin, which he'd immediately turned to cover when her foot came up, but a solid blow to the side of his knee. Sadly he managed to twist out of the way at the last second, so the strike was enough to do damage to his kneecap, but not enough to dislocate it or break something.

Two lightning quick exchanges later, he got her back with a feint into a jab that broke her nose, sending lances of agony stabbing into her brain and threatening to swell her eyes shut. Fareeha kept them open by force of will and lashed out with a powerful kick to push him away, unable to follow up on his advantage. 

Energy surged through Fareeha like someone had shot a bolt of adrenaline straight into her heart. It kicked her body into overdrive, muscles stronger, reflexes faster, mind sharper. The swelling around her eyes disappeared, followed quickly by the pain in her nose, and it felt as if the very air she breathed was charged with power. 

Her next attack was a combo she'd learned from Genji Shimada way back when; a kick-punch-kick series that Moreno couldn't move fast enough to block. There was so much power behind the blows that it sent him flying. He landed with his bad knee first, wrenching a shout of pain from him as he collapsed. 

Glancing to the side, she saw Angela standing with the Caduceus staff in hand, aimed at Fareeha. As she'd hoped, her clever omega had used the sharp points of the staff to cut herself free of her bindings, and now she stood tall and proud, chin up in defiance. Even her nudity couldn't steal her dignity, not when Angela refused to let it discomfit her.

Instead of the pure golden glow that had surrounded Tariq when Angela used the staff on him, the beam from the staff was a bright, blinding silver. Fareeha stared at it, fascinated both by the beam and the effect it had on her. She felt as though she could run back to back marathons and go a few rounds with Reinhardt to relax afterwards. "Angel, what on earth?"

"Power boost," Angela replied, her smile twisted. "The same functionality that allows the biotic nanites to supercharge the body's healing process, can also be used to put the system into overdrive, as it were. Not the directly weaponizable potential that he'd hoped for, but dangerous in the wrong hands."

Moreno clawed at the rooftop, trying to haul himself back up. Fareeha drew her foot back and delivered a precisely placed kick, exactly where the ugliest bruise spread over Angela's rib cage. He choked and gasped, curling around the injury to huddle in the fetal position. Planting her foot in the space between Moreno's shoulder blades, Fareeha kicked him onto his face, then held him down with enough force to threaten his spine. It felt effortless, like he was light as a feather and a child could have held him.

"Cheating," he ground out, glaring up at them through watering eyes.

"I disagree." Angela's voice was coated with frost and sharp as knives. "What Alphas like you forget to account for is that having a beta or omega bonded to you _willingly_ can be a source of great power. Two people working as partners will always be stronger than one man alone with his own ego. This is simply a physical extension of that truth."

Then, to Fareeha's shock, Angela turned the Caduceus staff on Moreno. The damage Fareeha had caused began to heal right in front of her eyes; since Moreno hadn't been as injured as Tariq to start with, the repair was much faster. 

"Because," Angela explained when Fareeha gave her a questioning look, "I am _better_ than he is. I am a _healer_ , and nobody, Alpha or not, will ever make me forget that. Not by force, not by fear, not even by fury."

And oh, she was furious. It was written in every line of her body, from her up-tilted chin to the brace of her shoulders. Like the Valkyrie she'd named her suit after, she was a warrior full of pride and power, bathed in the golden glow from her staff like a goddess made flesh.

Fareeha had never believed that omegas were weak-willed by nature, not after knowing her Angel for so long. But it wasn't until that moment that she truly understood the _strength_ of will it took to be one; to nurture in the face of hatred, to heal in the face of violence, to refuse to take the easy path and always be the better person.

Fareeha considered herself nothing like Moreno, but they were on the same side of the spectrum when compared to Angela. Aggressive, domineering, and vengeful; prone to anger as a first response and violence as the second. If this were a field mission and Angela one of her people, Fareeha would have ordered that Moreno shouldn't be healed, that he deserved to suffer from his injuries for what he'd done.

"You're better than me, too," Fareeha acknowledged the painful truth. 

"Of course I am, Fairy." Angela smiled at her, no censure in her expression despite her agreement. "Omegas exist to remind the rest of you that violence need not always be the solution. And when it _does_ need to be, it's your job to be there to protect me."

Chastised and humbled, and yet feeling oddly validated, Fareeha pulled off her uniform jacket and handed it to Angela. The omega's pale skin was turning red from exposure to the harsh Egyptian sun, and she'd suffered the indignity of nudity too long already. Fareeha's jacket would come down to Angela's knees, covering everything that mattered, and Fareeha still had her tank top for her own modesty.

While Angela put the jacket on, Fareeha pulled out the restraints she'd brought along and slapped them onto Moreno. Sadly, the man was completely healed, not so much as a bruise to show for their fight. Well, that would change soon enough, where he was going. Prison inmates didn't tend to handle each other with kid gloves. 

"You're done, Moreno," she took great pleasure in telling him. "You might have been able to snow the brass with claims of 'for the good of the company' when you first kidnapped an innocent civilian humanitarian, but this time you broke into the home of a fellow officer of Helix, acted with clearly inappropriate force, and tried to coerce a bond, among other notable offenses. You're not getting out of it this time."

When he opened his mouth to snarl something at her, she slapped a piece of grimy duct tape over his mouth, gagging him. It was the same tape he'd used to bind Angela's arms, and Fareeha took a certain vicious pleasure in using it on him in turn. He growled, but didn't try to lash out as she'd half expected him to. Finished securing him, Fareeha grabbed him by the arm and hauled him to his feet, then turned to look at Angela.

"C'mon, Angel." Reaching out with her free hand, Fareeha ran the backs of her fingers over Angela's cheek, where the bruise had been. It seemed to be fully healed, but she was gentle nonetheless. "Let's go home."


	14. Chapter 14

Nothing had ever felt like quite so much of a relief as walking into Fareeha's apartment as a welcome guest rather than a semi-prisoner. Even the sight of the furniture Moreno had damaged in his break-in didn't dampen Angela's happiness.

Fareeha came in behind her, seeming subdued. "Sorry the debrief took so long." They'd been held for hours answering questions to both Helix Security officers and local law enforcement. At least they'd both been permitted to clean up, and clothes had been found for Angela. "I probably could have convinced them to let _you_ go sooner, being the victim and all, but..." She trailed off, seeming to struggle for words.

"But you didn't want to let me out of your sight that long," Angela took an educated guess. Fareeha had been staying obsessively close, sneaking gentle touches here and there when she thought Angela wouldn't notice, reassuring herself that Angela was okay. It must have torn her Alpha instincts up to know that Angela had been snatched out from the supposed safety of Fareeha's home, and harmed while under Fareeha's protection.

"It sounds so barbaric when you put it that way," Fareeha said dryly. "Like I'm a sheikh keeping you locked in his harem where nobody else can see or touch you. I know you hate being treated that way."

"I dislike being treated as a fragile, breakable doll," Angela agreed, reaching out to lay her hand on Fareeha's. She savoured the warmth beneath her fingertips, the soft feel of Fareeha's skin. "I especially dislike it when people try to wrap me up in cotton batting to keep me 'safe' from every possible threat, real or imagined, and prevent me from living my life. That's very different from dealing with an _actual_ threat, and your understandable upset in the aftermath. You're blaming yourself that I got hurt, and frantic to make sure it doesn't happen again. So long as you get over it within a reasonable period, I don't mind reassuring you."

Stepping closer, she twined her fingers through Fareeha's, and lowered her voice as she dropped her gaze. "The truth is, I could use some reassuring, too. I didn't want you out of my sight, either." 

The moment when Moreno hauled her up onto that rooftop and she'd seen Fareeha standing below... knowing her Alpha had come for her, that her Fairy would never allow any further harm to befall her... Angela had come very close to breaking down in tears. She'd held back only because she refused to give Moreno the satisfaction of thinking they were from fear of him.

As she'd hoped, her words prompted Fareeha to step forward and pull Angela into her embrace, holding her tight. Fareeha gave the rumbling Alpha version of an ABO submissive's soothing croon, a non-verbal reassurance that Angela would be protected from all harm. That promise allowed Angela to relax into the taller woman's embrace, feeling absolutely safe for the first time in... maybe ever. She'd never allowed herself to _truly_ accept this kind of reassurance before, had actively gone out of her way to avoid it.

Fareeha's scent enveloped her, wrapping around her with the same warm surety as the other woman's arms. Angela drowned herself in the smoky sandalwood, closing her eyes and nuzzling into the arch of Fareeha's neck to better wallow. It was the scent of _her_ Alpha, and now that Angela accepted that, it became the most beautiful, enticing scent she'd ever encountered. 

Strangely, however, it didn't seem like Fareeha took any comfort from Angela's presence in turn. The Alpha remained rigid in her arms, holding herself stiffly as though afraid to touch back, afraid of hurting Angela. 

Tipping her head back to see her Alpha's face, Angela studied her eyes, concerned. "Fairy? What is it, what's wrong?" It could have been a reaction to her shame in not having protected Angela, but the desperate look in Fareeha's eyes said it was more than that. 'Fragile' was not a word typically applied to Alphas, but it was the word that fit in that moment.

"Angel..." Sighing, Fareeha ran her fingers over Angela's cheek, then her jaw, tracing the shape of her features. "Do you realize that we're bonded?"

"Yes." It was the single greatest joy in Angela's life, and she couldn't believe she'd spent years so terrified of something so wonderful. "I knew you would come for me. All I had to do was let the bond complete and give you a way to find me."

Somehow, the words she'd intended as reassurance only made Fareeha look more miserable. "So you knew it was happening? Why didn't you say anything?"

"I was afraid," Angela admitted, and it was her turn to be shamed by her failure. Failure to trust in the woman who'd proved that she loved Angela beyond all reason. "I thought if you knew it was happening, you'd encourage it - intentionally or not. And I didn't want to give in."

To her shock Fareeha pulled away entirely, pacing to the far end of the apartment and spinning to face her. The space was so tiny they were still barely out of arm's reach, but the distance felt like a mile. "If you'd been fighting the bond that long, if you were that unwilling, and the only reason you accepted it was so I could save you... then it was forced on you. I swore to you that I'd never force you, damn it. Now you're even more vulnerable to me, and I _can't_ promise to never say or do _anything_ that could be taken as an order. Nobody could!"

Finally understanding where all this pain and anguish was coming from, Angela felt her heart well up with overwhelming emotion. Tears filled her eyes, though she fought them back, knowing Fareeha would take it the wrong way if Angela cried now. Once again, Fareeha proved that she would put Angela's needs first, to the detriment of her own. How had Angela ever believed this woman, this magnificent Alpha with her caring heart and warrior's soul, might crush Angela's free will?

"I didn't choose it only because I knew it would help you save me, Fareeha." Angela put as much conviction into the words as she could, willing Fareeha to see and feel her sincerity. She let the soothing croon of an omega creep into her voice as well, and concentrated on producing the calming scent unique to betas and omegas. "I swear to you. I'd already made my decision before he came for me. Half the reason I'm so mad at that bastard is because he ruined my plans to tell you so."

"How can I trust that you really mean that?" Fareeha sounded like something was broken, deep inside her. "Now that you're bonded to me, you're driven to ensure my happiness, and you know it would kill me to have forced you, so of course you'd try to reassure me."

Realizing logic wasn't something Fareeha was truly capable of in this moment of clashing instincts and emotion, Angela knew words weren't going to be enough to reach the wounded heart of her Alpha. She glanced around the room, which had been given only a cursory clean-up. The bedroom door remained closed, as Angela left it the morning before. If Moreno had trashed that room as well, he'd have left the door wide open to ensure Fareeha got the full impact of his destruction the moment the Alpha woman walked through her front door. 

Obviously Fareeha hadn't been in the room yet either, or she'd be having a very different reaction in this conversation. Knowing her Alpha, the other woman had been up all night searching, rattling the cages and hounding her superiors for help and an explanation.

"I was going to cook you a special dinner," Angela said, moving slowly forward. Fareeha looked skittish, so at war with herself that she might snap if Angela pushed too hard. Thankfully this was exactly what an omega was born for. "I'd put in the order for ingredients already, but I guess they were sent back when neither of us was here to accept the delivery. I was going to make it from scratch, serve it to you myself - and I was going to do it in this." 

Bending, she scooped up a scrap of silk and lace from the floor, shook it out to reveal a nearly sheer baby-doll top, the rich blue of the soft fabric a near match for Angela's eyes. It was Fareeha's, far more provocative and revealing than the coral nightie the Alpha had loaned Angela that first day. There was a tiny pair of panties that went with it, now nowhere in sight, and the top had been badly torn, but it got the point across. Fareeha drew in a sharp breath as her eyes fixed on the frothy lingerie, her pupils expanding, and the musk of her arousal filled the air.

Angela continued without giving her Alpha a chance to absorb that - or start protesting again. "Once dinner was done and we’d had a chance to talk about our respective limits and rules, I planned to suggest we retire early." She pushed open the bedroom door, and as she'd hoped, the work she'd put into arranging it had not been disturbed.

Candles lined the dresser, unscented so as not to interfere with the ABO pheromones that would swamp the room in short order. They weren't lit now, but would have provided a beautiful soft glow for illumination. The bed had been turned down, comforter and top sheet folded neatly at the foot, baring the expanse of the bed to play on. 

And hooked around the bedposts were two leather wrist cuffs. Not the cheap imitation handcuffs sold in sketchy sex stores, but custom-made, silk-lined, adjustable cuffs with multiple d-rings for different configurations of restraints.

" _Angela_." Fareeha followed her to the doorway, staring at the cuffs with heat burning in her eyes. It sounded as if Angela's name had been torn out of her, ragged and breathless.

"I didn't mean to go poking about in your private things," Angela said, wincing with an apologetic expression. "I was looking to see if there was something like the baby doll that I could wear - I thought having your clothes on rather than my own would make a better statement, but the nightie from the first day needs washing." She hadn't expected to find a drawer full of intimate toys in the top row of the dresser... but she'd seen no reason not to make use of them once she did find them.

Sneaking a glance at Fareeha, she saw the Alpha still staring in shock, desire making her tremble with need, her scent so rich and thick Angela could taste it. Her hands balled into fists as she fought for control. "Angel, you've spent _years_ telling me how much you refused to allow any Alpha to control you. You were so mad at me for just one unthinking comment. This makes no sense."

"I thought that if I gave control up to an Alpha, it would mean losing _myself_ to them," Angela admitted. "I thought, as you said, that I'd become so absorbed in fulfilling their needs that I'd lose any ability to worry about my own. What I didn't consider is that a _good_ Alpha would be just as worried about making me happy, and would take my needs into account. Just like the other morning, when I all but begged you to take me, and you refused because you knew that if I'd been in my right mind, I wouldn't have asked."

Stepping forward, Angela closed the distance between them, wrapping her arms around her Alpha's waist, resting her cheek on Fareeha's chest. "I trust you. I trust you like I've never trusted anyone else, ever. You could never destroy me like that, because you care about me too much. Love me, Fairy. Please."

Slowly Fareeha's hands came up to hold her in turn, but this was no gentle embrace. One hand slid into Angela's hair and fisted, tugging her head back hard. The look in her eyes was one of feverish intensity. "Angel, I've loved you since I was twelve. That will never change. But if we do this, there's no holds barred. I can't do it halfway. I swear I will always do my best to consider your needs, but I will push you to your limits and beyond them. Can you handle that? _Are you sure_?"

Far from being frightened, Angela's body all but vibrated, liquid with desire to the point that her knees threatened to give out. She clutched at Fareeha's shirt to help stay upright, shivering in her Alpha's hold. This was everything she'd ever wanted in a sexual partner, the fierce dominance she'd feared from an Alpha but craved so badly she'd tried to find normal humans who could mimic it. Nothing ever measured up, and now, experiencing the real thing, she knew nothing ever could. It was the scent, wrapping around her and penetrating to her deepest core, setting off pleasure centers she'd never even realized existed.

" _Yes_! Please," she begged, broken in the best possible way. She didn't struggle against Fareeha's grip, in fact she arched her head back even farther, baring her throat in the most intimate invitation possible for an ABO.

Strong teeth closed around her pulse point, digging in enough to feel like a threat, but she knew her Fairy would never harm her, so it became a promise instead. Crying out, Angela squirmed in Fareeha's hold. Fareeha growled in response. " _Mine_."

"Yours," Angela agreed, melting into her hold. "Always." 

"On the bed," Fareeha ordered, releasing her grip and pushing Angela gently in that direction. "On your back; I want to be able to see your face. Hands over your head."

Nerves humming in anticipation, Angela obeyed the command, crawling onto the mattress and situating herself as Fareeha said. It felt so good to give in, to stop fighting her nature and do what they both wanted her to do. When she stretched her arms up over her head, she realized a problem. "I'm overdressed, and you won’t be able to get the t-shirt off once my arms are tied."

It was a workout shirt that had been provided by the Helix quartermaster, along with sweatpants for her to wear during the 'debriefing' that was a thinly disguised interrogation. Both items bore the Helix Security logo very prominently, and while Angela was no longer vehemently against all aspects of the company after her rescue by Fareeha's squad, she was still unfavourably disposed towards the company as a whole. At the moment the clothes were an offense to her sensibilities, preventing her from skin to skin contact with her Alpha. Angela would have ripped them off herself, but Fareeha had ordered her to put her hands over her head, and that was where they would stay until she was told otherwise. 

The bone-deep realization that she no longer had to fight her own nature had turned orders from a cage that threatened to confine her, into the wings that lifted her up. She wanted to fly free, let go of all her worries, safe in the realization that her Alpha would care for her.

"Angela." Fareeha's voice and scent carried a note of scolding, and she sounded exasperated. Jarred by the sudden shift in tone, Angela blinked up at her Alpha, and the other woman sighed. "You didn't hear a word I just said, did you? I'm going to lose you entirely to sub-space if I'm not careful."

"I'm sorry." Angela kept her eyes lowered, sheepish, feeling a hot blush sweep across her cheeks. "I'm not usually gone so fast or easily." Sub-space, a term used by submissives to describe the blissful state of drifting peace some could find in the hands of a good Dom, was something she'd only experienced a tiny handful of times. It could be very dangerous if the Dom - or Alpha - wasn't someone you could trust to take appropriate care of you while it was happening, and in the aftermath. Angela had rarely been able to let herself go to that extent. That Fareeha knew the term, seemed to understand what it meant, was a good sign.

"It's because it's _you_ ," Angela admitted. "The Alpha scent, the force of your commands, and the power of the bond... it's incredible. But I promise I'll try to stay focused. I don't want to miss a second of this." As amazing as that state of total trust and submission could be, for this first time especially Angela wanted to be present in the moment.

"Well, if you're going to flatter me like that, I suppose I can forgive you." Fareeha's smile was smug and content. "I said, sit up so I can get the shirt off you. This isn't a bodice-ripper romance novel, I don't have the strength to tear a t-shirt off."

Laughing at the playful comment, Angela pushed up into a sitting position. This time when she lifted her hands above her head it was so Fareeha could pull the t-shirt off more easily, leaving her bared to the waist. Her breasts were unfettered, heavy and aching with the need for touch, nipples furled into tight peaks that craved the wet heat of Fareeha's mouth. Moaning at the thought, Angela melted back down onto the pillows and resumed the position she'd been in to start with.

Fareeha caught her wrists one at a time, wrapping the leather cuffs around each one and locking them tight. “If you need to stop, you say so. We can talk about safe words later, but right now I don’t want to worry that you might forget what it is if you need it. If you can’t speak, you tap out against me or the headboard. Understand?”

“You’d feel it if I’m in distress,” Angela said, certain of that much. Their bond was more than strong enough for that, even if Fareeha somehow missed the scent cues.

“I’m not willing to trust in only that.” Fareeha sat back on her heels. “Comfortable?”

The padded silk lining was sinfully soft against the delicate skin of Angela's wrist, and the cuffs covered a significant portion of her forearm. They were snug enough not to shift and chafe, but not so tight they'd cut off circulation or cause damage. The swift ease with which Fareeha did up the buckles and attached the straps to hold the cuffs to the bed posts suggested a great deal of practice. 

Unexpectedly, a stab of something that might have been jealousy struck Angela through the heart. It surprised her, because jealousy wasn't something she was usually prone to, and it would be unreasonable of her to be angry with Fareeha for taking partners in the nearly ten years since they'd seen each other last.

"Do you do this often?" Angela blurted out, unable to contain the question. Her words came out sad, not sharp, and she recognized the emotion behind them as _regret_ , not jealousy. She didn't begrudge Fareeha's past lovers, but she did wish she'd been there with her Alpha all those years. So much time wasted because of Angela's fears. 

"Not here." Fareeha ran the backs of her knuckles over Angela's throat, then down over her chest until she could tweak one tight nipple. Angela's breath caught in her throat. "I pack a travel kit if I'm going to play with one of the betas for a bit, or the occasional normal. You're the first person I've ever brought home."

A little thrill went through Angela at the confirmation that she was special. It wasn't surprising; Alphas could be very territorial, and rarely invited others into their personal space unless there was a close relationship involved. "Men, too? Or do you only like women?" Instinctively she tried to reach out, caress Fareeha in turn, but the cuffs and straps held her tight.

"I like men well enough, but it's hard to find one who isn't put off by a woman more dominant than he is. Even with beta males." Fareeha snorted, switching to torment Angela's other breast. She slid her leg between Angela's, rocking the muscle of her thigh against Angela's pussy, grinding through the layers of Angela's sweats and Fareeha's combat pants. "Even harder to find one that understands it makes me no less dominant or in charge if I permit him to fuck me, so it's just as well I can take or leave penetration."

Angela's hips bucked against the pressure, clit rubbing uncomfortably against the coarse terry of the sweats. "Off," she begged breathlessly. "Please, Fairy, I'm too sensitive. And I want your skin on mine. May I?"

"Since you asked so nicely," Fareeha all but purred. She drew back long enough to quickly shuck her own clothes, then returned to kneel next to Angela. Leaning down, she brushed brief, wet kisses over both of Angela's nipples, then travelled down over the lean plane of her stomach. When she reached the waistband of the sweats, Fareeha gripped the sides and began pulling them down with torturous slowness, kissing each newly exposed bit of flesh. 

When she reached the crisp, neatly-trimmed curls that hid Angela's pussy, Fareeha nuzzled close, inhaling so deeply Angela was embarrassed at the knowledge of how intense her arousal must smell to the Alpha. Yet the thought also sent a rush of warmth through her, womb clenching as her pussy grew damper still, liquid slicking the folds and making every tiny shift of her thighs stimulate her swollen clitoris. 

"What about you, Angel?" Fareeha murmured against the skin of her inner thighs, skirting Angela's vagina in a tease that left her trembling. "What's your preference? What do you like? What do you do to bring yourself pleasure, when it's just you and your toys?"

Burning with embarrassment as much as arousal, Angela squirmed against her bonds. "I'm attracted to both, but it's hard to find women who are dominant enough to satisfy me. I've only ever been with men... and not that many."

"Never with a woman?" Fareeha lifted her head, eyes gleaming as she looked up at Angela with a hungry intensity. "I'm the first?"

"None of them ever measured up to my fantasies of you," Angela whispered, confessing her most intimate secret. "With men I can avoid the comparisons more since it's a different experience, but with women... I tried. It _never_ felt right. Was never enough to make me want to go farther than kissing."

" _Mine_ ," Fareeha said again, a tone of almost vicious possessiveness this time. "First and only." 

"Yes. Forever and always." Angela didn't need an answering promise, because she knew very well that Fareeha would never dream of cheating on her. Nor did Fareeha truly believe Angela would do so; she wasn't making the claim to warn Angela, but as a promise and an affirmation. 

"As for men, well, we can negotiate that later," Fareeha said, to Angela's shock. There was a sparkle of mischief in her eyes. "I'd never want to deprive you, Angel. But you didn't answer my question. How do you like it? Slow and soft?" Placing a fingertip at the base of Angela's entrance, she drew it up over the slick labia, teasing across the opening, then up over her clitoris. Angela gasped and squirmed, rocking her hips to try to get more, but Fareeha pulled away.

"Sharp and sassy?" Fareeha continued, ducking her head to nip at the delicate flesh of Angela's inner thigh, right where it met her body. The bite was hard enough to make Angela cry out, the best kind of pain, and she arched into it. 

"Fairy, please," Angela moaned, twisting her hips to try to get Fareeha's mouth where she wanted it so badly. Fareeha avoided her, shifting to hover her mouth directly over Angela's clit, close enough that Angela could feel the whisper of her breath against the sensitive flesh, but not close enough for any kind of relief. "Fairy!" 

"Or maybe you like it fast and furious?" Fareeha teased. With no further warning she fastened her mouth over Angela's clit and sucked hard, lashing her with her tongue. As Angela screamed and writhed against the sudden pressure, Fareeha brought her fingers into play as well, thrusting two blunt digits inside, stretching her despite how wet and ready Angela was for the intrusion.

"Fairy!" The headboard groaned as Angela fought against the restraints, desperate to thread her hands through Fareeha's hair and yank her away. Or maybe hold her closer to ensure she couldn't stop. Her body couldn't decide if this was too much or not enough, overwhelmed and bucking against the pleasure so close to pain. "Oh god, I can't, I can't..." She couldn't tell up from down, her whole world spinning as Fareeha turned her inside out.

"You can take it," Fareeha murmured directly against her skin, easing up only a fraction to speak. "You can take it for me. Can't you, Angel?"

No, she couldn't possibly. The intensity of the sensation was too much, she'd go insane. But to say 'stop' was to disappoint her Alpha, and though Fareeha had been careful not to phrase it as an order for Angela to say yes, she'd also made it clear that she expected the right answer. Her belief that Angela could handle the overload was strong enough to make it true. "Yes! Please."

Returning to her efforts, Fareeha licked, sucked, even nipped at the swollen flesh, tormenting Angela's clitoris in every possible way. Her fingers worked inside her tight channel, thrusting in and out, scissoring deep inside to work her open, curving up to press against her g-spot, stimulating her clit from within as well as without. Angela screamed, wordless this time, as if she could verbally release the buildup of sensation within her. The pressure was incredible, her every muscle tight to the point of quivering as her body strained for the peak Fareeha was trying to drive her over.

Angela could hardly breathe, her brain shorting out, each gasp of air followed by a long pause before she remembered to breathe again. It was as if the act of breathing took her focus away from the pleasure, so her body kept trying to shut down the reflex and allow her to sink into the intensity of what Fareeha was doing to her. Every time she thought she might be close to the edge, she'd be forced to breathe and get yanked back again, orgasm continually just out of her reach.

Her gasps turned to ragged sobs as she strained for release, fighting her own body. Just when she thought she would have to admit defeat, Fareeha twisted her fingers in an unexpected way, brushing _just_ the right spot, and Angela was suddenly flying. She screamed and screamed again, orgasm crashing over her with so much force it almost hurt, on and on until she wanted to beg for it to stop - and yet it was the most amazing, pleasurable thing she'd ever experienced in her life.

Fareeha eased up, her unrelenting assault on Angela's clit turning to slow, gentle strokes over the too-sensitive flesh. She kept her fingers deep until Angela's body stopped contracting around them, then slowly withdrew, making sure Angela felt every inch of contact. "That's it," Fareeha murmured, her tone one of smug pride. "My beautiful Angel. I knew you could do it. Shhh, I've got you. You're safe, you're mine."

She crawled up the bed to align herself with Angela, laying her bigger body over Angela's quivering flesh like a human blanket, pressing her down into the mattress. At some point she'd stripped down, leaving them skin to skin, head to toe. She was heavy and solid and warm, and continued to murmur soft reassurances as she stroked her hand over Angela's hair and shoulder. Angela couldn't stop crying, chest heaving beneath Fareeha's delicious weight. 

"I'm sorry," she sobbed, trembling all over, voice shaking. "I can't stop. It feels so good." The _release_ of it was everything she'd ever craved, and the impact was unbelievable. If Fareeha hadn't been holding her down, she thought she might have floated right off the bed, she felt so light. 

"Let it out, Angel." Fareeha's voice held a rough edge of its own, and when Angela forced her eyes open - when had she closed them? - she saw a sheen in Fareeha's eyes as well. The Alpha wasn't crying; it took extreme conditions to reduce an Alpha to tears, especially in front of anyone else. But they were there, Angela saw them, and she knew it meant Fareeha felt this every bit as deeply as Angela did.

So Angela cried for both of them, tears of happiness and relief after years of strain, fighting a half-formed bond she hadn't even known was there. Fareeha must have suffered too, rejected so completely by her omega, and wouldn't have realized why the pain cut _so_ deep. 

"Damn," Fareeha groaned, nuzzling at the curve of Angela's neck, making the omega shiver. "You smell _so_ good right now. I think I'm drunk on it. You pack a hell of a punch, Angel." She shifted restlessly, pussy grinding against Angela's thigh, and she could feel her Alpha's wetness.

"I want to pleasure you," Angela breathed out, straps straining as she again instinctively tried to reach out and touch. "You made me feel so good, I want to do the same for you. Anything you want." Angela could refuse her Alpha nothing, because she knew Fareeha would never ask something Angela couldn't bear to do.

Shifting onto her hands and knees, Fareeha crawled further up the bed, until her knees rested at Angela's shoulders. When she sank back to sit on her knees, holding the headboard for stability, it put her slick pussy right in Angela's face. The intent was clear, but Fareeha gave the order anyway. "Get me off, Angel. Show me what you've got."

Moaning in pleasure, Angela raised her head to make contact and eagerly licked at the luscious flesh. Fareeha kept herself mostly bare save for a neatly trimmed strip across her mons pubis, leaving the lips of her vagina smooth against Angela's tongue. She teased first, nuzzling in to find the labia minora, then running her tongue along the folds. She spent some time there, licking and kissing, occasionally darting her tongue deeper to sweep across the vaginal opening. The sweet musk of her arousal was heady and intoxicating, making Angela's head spin even as she craved more.

Fareeha didn't order her to stop, clutching harder at the headboard and working her hips in time with Angela's tongue. But her movements grew increasingly restless, her moans short and sharp, and finally she growled a wordless warning. Not an order, not yet, but it would be one soon.

Relenting, Angela shifted upward, licking a long stripe across the full length of Fareeha's pussy, until her tongue finally encountered the engorged flesh of her clitoris. As soon as Angela brushed it with her tongue, Fareeha moaned and ground down, trying to get more pressure. Angela obliged, but only to a point, her licks firm but not hard. She kept up a steady rhythm, licking with the flat of her tongue over and over as if enjoying ice cream - and oh, Fareeha's cream was more addicting than the best ice cream Angela had ever had.

She half expected Fareeha to order her to go harder, faster, but now that Angela was focusing on her clitoris, Fareeha seemed content to let her go at her own pace. The Alpha did shift her weight, arching toward the headboard to push her pussy closer to Angela, allowing her to drop her head back to the pillow and ease the strain on her neck.

So engrossed in her pleasurable task, Angela didn't realize Fareeha had shifted more than just her hips until her hand cupped Angela's pussy, putting pressure on the still sensitive flesh. Angela gasped, then moaned as Fareeha's fingers dipped inside to tease around her entrance. The moan must have vibrated her tongue against Fareeha's clit, because the Alpha jerked her hips with a little cry.

Somehow Angela kept up her steady pace despite the distraction of Fareeha's fingers toying with her labia, then sliding up to brush over Angela's clit. It was still aroused, even that gentle touch almost too much, but this time Fareeha was exquisitely gentle. She worked her fingers in time with the rhythm of Angela's tongue, pleasuring them both.

Despite her best intentions to stay focused on the here and now, Angela lost herself in the ecstasy of it. To touch and be touched, with the scent of her Alpha invading her every sense, Fareeha's growls of approval echoing in her ears... the tidal wave carried her away, and she submitted herself to the current willingly. As her second orgasm built slowly, gently, the waves of pleasure sucked her under, until she couldn't tell up from down. 

Even Fareeha's cry as she convulsed against Angela's tongue, thighs squeezing Angela's shoulders, wasn't enough to pull her to the surface. When her own orgasm came again, it seemed an inevitability, so agonizingly perfect.

For some unknown amount of time she floated in the bliss, vaguely aware of gentle hands stroking her, a soft voice murmuring in her ear, the scent of a thoroughly pleasured Alpha that permeated every inch of Angela's body and clung, merging with her skin. Claiming her. Marking her as forever Fareeha's.

"Fairy," Angela whispered, responding to that first fully conscious thought. "I'm yours."

"And I'm yours, Angel." Fareeha sounded smug again, and when Angela managed to open her eyes, she saw the Alpha's smirk matched her tone. "Welcome back. That good, hmm?"

Without thinking, Angela smacked the other woman weakly on the shoulder. "Don't get a swelled head." Then she gasped, realizing she'd _struck her Alpha_. She waited for the rush of instinctive fear, the urge to cringe and beg forgiveness, the _need_ to submit that would prevent her from being able to speak her mind as she wished.

She was still waiting when Fareeha laughed in response, and cuddled her closer. "Glad to know you haven't lost your spirit," she all but purred, stroking Angela's back. "You wouldn't be the omega I love without it."

Angela was already so limp with pleasure that she couldn't possibly relax any further, but something inside her let go of a tension she hadn't realized she was still clinging to. She'd truly believed that Fareeha would place Angela's needs above her own, and that had given her the peace of mind to accept the bond. But deep in her heart she'd still feared being with an Alpha would change _her_ in a fundamental way, and the bond would only make that worse.

Now she could truly, fully accept, once and for all, that she was free to love Fareeha without fear.

"I love you, too," she whispered, clinging to her Fairy. "I'm sorry I wasted so much time because of my anxiety."

"We're together now, Angel. That's all that matters." Reaching down, Fareeha snagged the covers and pulled them up, covering their sweat-slicked bodies. Then she settled in close again, curling around Angela like the protective Alpha she was. "I'll never let you go again."

"I don't want you to," Angela assured her. As she closed her eyes, the greatest sense of peace and freedom she'd ever felt crept over her.

She was finally home.


	15. Chapter 15

Angela drifted to consciousness in a slow, gentle sea of pleasure and contentment. She'd never been so relaxed and happy, never felt so cherished and cared for. The idea that she could wake feeling exactly like this every morning for the rest of her life... the powerful image made tears spring to her eyes.

Shifting, she stretched her arm out over the bed, but found the sheets cool and empty. Making a sound of disappointment, she forced her eyes open to see red-tinted light streaming in through the windows. The _west_ -facing windows. Perhaps she couldn't blame Fareeha for getting up, if Angela had slept until sunset. 

Granted, they hadn't gotten to bed until morning, and hadn't _slept_ until much later. Angela remembered waking once already, to the sensation of a vibrator against her clit, pushing into her sex, driving her to yet another orgasm. Three in one day was more than Angela had ever reached before, her body usually requiring more time to recover before it stopped being too sensitive, but Fareeha's touch was a drug that she constantly craved.

The scent of cooking spices reached her, rich and redolent, and Angela's stomach growled. Laughing, she rose from the tangled sheets, pushing the window open to air out some of the musk of sex that permeated the room. Digging in Fareeha's dresser, she pulled out the last remaining sexy nightie that she'd found among the Alpha's things. This one was a luxuriant gold fabric that would look stunning against Fareeha's dusky skin, but unfortunately turned Angela's paler tones sallow. Still, she knew the Alpha would appreciate seeing Angela in her clothes, and this was more alluring than a t-shirt that would hang to Angela's knees.

Briefly she considered taking a shower, but decided she very much wanted to be wrapped in Fareeha's scent at the moment, and for Fareeha to smell it as well. Now that they were bonded, their scents would permanently mingle, embedded in each other's skin, but sex still gave the effect a boost.

When she stepped out into the main room she found Fareeha scowling at the stove, as if the simmering pots offended her somehow. When the Alpha looked up and saw Angela standing in the doorway watching, however, the scowl melted instantly to a smug, satisfied smile. "Angel. I thought you were going to sleep all night." Coming forward, she wrapped Angela in her arms, leaning in for a slow, hot kiss that made Angela's bare toes curl.

"Mmmm, good morning to you too," she murmured when Fareeha finally let her up for air. "Or evening, as the case may be. I'm sure you'd have woken me sooner or later. With a vibrator again, if necessary." When Fareeha laughed, Angela brushed their mouths together one last time before she pushed away and walked to the stove. "Let me finish this. Given the state of your pantry when I arrived, I'm not convinced of your level of cooking skill, and I'm too hungry to risk you burning dinner."

The teasing was gentle, and Fareeha rolled her eyes in response, her feelings clearly unhurt. "I'll freely admit that even from the small sample I've had, you're definitely better than me."

"Thank you for trying, though." It surprised Angela how much it meant to her that the Alpha had begun dinner, hadn't expected Angela to always be the one to cook. Fareeha said that first day that she would never expect Angela to do all the chores, but actions spoke louder than words. 

Remembering that conversation, Angela felt some of the fizz of joy drain from her. Fareeha had jokingly promised to do her half of the chores if they ever lived together, because she recognized that Angela's job was just as important as her own. A stab of guilt hit Angela when she realized she hadn't given a single thought to her patients or her responsibilities.

Strong arms wound around her waist, pulling her back against Fareeha's chest. "What's wrong, Angel?"

Sighing, Angela rested her hand over Fareeha's. "I'm never going to be able to hide my thoughts from you, am I?" She could feel Fareeha's concern as well, a combination of a subtle change in the Alpha's scent and just... _knowing_ somehow, deep in her heart. There were stories of bonds that could actually transmit emotion, but it was supposed to require decades of connection to become that deep.

Then again, she and Fareeha had already had decades, hadn't they? If only they'd known it. If only Angela hadn't been so afraid of the consequences.

"I'm all right," Angela assured her, turning in Fareeha's arms to nuzzle at her Alpha's shoulder. "It's just... I hate to say this, but..."

"But you need to get back to your life," Fareeha finished for her, surprising Angela once again with how tuned in her Alpha was to her needs. "I'm forcibly off duty for the next little while until all the paperwork from this whole clusterfuck is sorted out. I thought I'd come with you to help you settle back in and make sure there aren't any problems. Though at this point, it will have to wait until tomorrow."

"Tomorrow," Angela agreed, inhaling deeply of her Alpha's scent. Tomorrow was soon enough to think about the fact that Fareeha lived too far from the refugee camp for it to be practical for Angela to commute. Tomorrow, she could face the question of how she'd survive living apart from her Alpha for days, maybe weeks at a time. Fiercely she reminded herself that she'd managed just fine for decades without Fareeha's constant presence.

But that was before she'd known what she was missing.

"Dinner's not the only thing I've been working on." Pulling away, Fareeha caught Angela's hand and tugged her over to the tiny table, where a datapad rested. "Here, take a look."

Picking up the 'pad, Angela studied the screen, puzzled. "Real estate listings?" The one on the screen was for a beautiful house, almost big enough to qualify as a mansion, far enough toward the edge of the city that it had a bit of land attached rather than being crowded in by neighbouring buildings. The design was a gorgeous mingling of modern utility and traditional Egyptian style, including an enclosed climate-controlled courtyard with a water feature that had gone dry. The plants were sadly withered, untended for far too long. Angela's fingers itched to dig into the cracked soil and refresh it, bring the place back to life.

"I remembered how you always have plants around your quarters and lab," Fareeha said, wrapping her arms around Angela's waist from behind and resting her chin on Angela's head, reading over her shoulder. "I know your job keeps you running off your feet, but maybe having a garden to work on would entice you to take a break now and then. When I'm too busy to be the one doing the enticing, anyway." There was a sly grin in Fareeha's tone. "There's enough space for you to have a big office and research area, and me to have a substantial gym so I can come home sooner instead of staying at Helix to work out. It's on the same side of the city as your camp, so the commute wouldn't be so brutal, but still close enough for me to get to Helix."

Realizing Fareeha had spent hours looking for a way to keep them together as much as possible, Angela sighed in pleasure and melted against her Alpha. She couldn't even get mad that Fareeha had clearly made the decision without Angela's input; it was the nature of the Alpha to take the lead and make the calls. Fareeha had at least checked for Angela’s opinion before committing, and Angela knew if there was something she truly objected to, Fareeha would set aside the choice and find something else.

God knew there was nothing Angela could find to object to in this incredible home. It was everything she could have asked for, and more.

Then she scrolled down far enough to see the listing price, and gasped. "Oh, my god! Fairy, this is insane. I can't afford anything like this!" She had some savings set aside from her time in Overwatch, but being a refugee doctor paid very little, and her savings were nowhere near enough to pay even a portion of this price.

"I can." The words were a simple statement of fact, not a boast. "I told you, I live like this because it's all I needed and I couldn't be bothered taking care of something bigger, not because I can't afford better. I've had hazard pay piling up in investment accounts for a decade. I'm not _rich_ , but I can certainly afford to give you the life you deserve to have."

Angela struggled between her desire to control her own life, and the shockingly powerful urge to allow her Alpha to take care of her. She forced herself to think through the latter, and picture what she'd do if this was a normal relationship and her partner made a great deal more money than she did. 

"I want to contribute," she said. "We mingle our finances, and I'll manage the bills and such." That way she'd have some knowledge of their budget, even if she wasn't providing the money for most of it. And it would be one less bit of hated paperwork that Fareeha had to deal with.

"Okay, but I reserve the right to have an unmonitored slush fund to buy you presents and pamper you whenever I feel like it," Fareeha replied. "I know you. You'll pour every drop you have into making things as equal as possible, and keep nothing back for yourself." 

When Angela made a protesting sound, Fareeha tightened her arms. "I need this, Angel. I _need_ to spoil you and do everything in my power to make you as happy as possible. I'm fighting myself not to argue that I should be paying for everything and you keep your money to spend on yourself, so meet me halfway."

"All right," Angela conceded, and sighed as she leaned back further into Fareeha's embrace. She'd promised that she wouldn't demand Fareeha act entirely against her instincts, and an Alpha _did_ need to take care of their submissive. If Angela denied her that, she'd make Fareeha miserable. And really, what right did she have to tell Fareeha how to spend her own money? Angela could find her own ways of pampering Fareeha in return. Money wasn't required to lavish love on someone.

"You know, there is a solution to this problem," Fareeha added, a teasing note entering her voice. "I guarantee Helix's R&D division would snap you up in a heartbeat, after what they've seen of your nanobiotics. You'd probably make more than I do, and have all their resources for your medical research. And when I'm on HQ duty, we could sneak off at lunch for a quickie."

Though the latter thought _was_ a bit tempting, Angela shook her head firmly. "No. Never again. I won't work for another paramilitary organization, not even one that's purportedly a corporation instead of a police force. I'd have no control over how they use my advances. What's the use in making discoveries if they're never released to the world to help people, and only used to harm instead? I don't hate Helix on principle anymore, not after what you and your team did to help me, but I _won't_ work for them."

"I figured." Turning her gently, Fareeha gave her a kiss so tender that it nearly brought tears to Angela's eyes. "Can't blame me for asking, though. I don't have anywhere near the funds for the kind of advanced equipment Helix could provide, but I think I can give you a few toys to play with, if you'd like. I know how much your work means to you, and how badly you want the world to be able to use it to help people in need."

Angela thought of the long hours little Fareeha had spent keeping Angela company in her lab as an intern, and later as head of Overwatch’s research division. Angela had often used the excuse of explaining her work to Fareeha in order to gather her own thoughts and force them down new paths; putting things in layman's terms made her think about them in different ways, and every once in a while Fareeha would ask a surprisingly perceptive question that gave Angela a new avenue to try. After all that, Fareeha _was_ probably the one person in the world who knew best what that research meant to Angela.

"Thank you, Fairy." Snuggling in close, Angela breathed deep of the scent of her Alpha, listening to the strong beat of Fareeha's heart beneath Angela's cheek. "I promise I'll try not to break the bank. Can we go look at it? When could we move in?"

"It's standing empty, so we can move as soon as I arrange for the closing paperwork." Fareeha stroked Angela's hair, the growling purr of a happy Alpha rumbling in her chest. "Might take a week to get everything organized, but it'll be at least that long before I'm on active duty again, so I'll stay with you in the meantime."

Angela laughed. "My tent barely has room for _me_ , and I honestly don't think you could fit on my cot even alone." Thin as resources were stretched in the camp, personnel quarters were not a high priority, even for the doctor in charge. Most of the staff rented places nearby rather than stay in the camp, but Angela had never bothered. She certainly wouldn't mind having somewhere nice to come home to and relax after a hard, often heartbreaking day of work. 

"We can rent a hotel room or something. I'm not spending one more minute apart from you than I have to." Tipping Angela's face up, Fareeha kissed her deeply this time, slow and possessive, hot and passionate. Everything Angela had ever wanted. She clung back and kissed just as deep, crooning in the back of her throat, putting all of her feelings into the embrace.

Dinner burned after all, and in the end she and Fareeha had to eat takeout late at night, but Angela didn't have a single regret.


End file.
